All This Time
by Grinning Purple Cheshire Cat
Summary: *~COMPLETE~* Caitie's thrilled when her long time crush Jason asks her out. But is he really as great as she thinks he is? When Jamie rescues her from a date gone wrong, it seems that now Jason will stop at nothing to get revenge...
1. Detention Again

Ok, this is a real original topic, I know e.e But it will lead me up to my first In A Heartbeat fanfic that got deleted along with my first account due to inactivity .:rolls eyes:. is it MY fault my muse was on vacation? But anyway, due to the serious lack of good J/C fics, Bastet-ohki (my muse) and I have decided to write a prequil to my first one, and will post my original one whenever i can get around to it...anyway, enjoy this one, though I have to warn you, I'm not the best writer in the world (that's putting it mildly), and rarely catch any of my spelling mistakes...read at your own risk...have fun ^-^  
  
Disclaimer: If I actually owned this TV show, it would still be on the air! Grr...stupid Disney people... Anyway, onto the story (told from Caitie's POV)  
After what seemed like an eternity the bell rang and all the students in Mr. Kidd's class were dismissed. As usual, Mr. Smith had let us out early. Mr. Kidd was the only teacher who ever waited for the bell anymore. I waited across the hall by my friend Jamie's locker. We both had geography last hour and usually walked downstairs to the classroom together. Finally I could distinguish him among the swarm of teens exiting the classroom through the almost too narrow doorway. I waved when he looked my direction and a smile broke out across his handsome features. He made his way to my side of the hall and nodded to me as he spun the dial on his combination lock. "Hey."  
  
"Hi," I smiled back. "So how did history go?"  
  
"Oh, perfect," Jamie smiled wryly. "Another 'D' on my test. My grade's gonna be great this semester." He jammed his history book in his locker, caught it before it could fall out, and shoved it back in, making sure it stayed this time. There really was a vast difference between Jamie's locker and mine. Mine was nice, neat, and organized; everything had it's own space. Jamie was lucky if anything had any space. School books, papers, his back pack, it was all just...there. Stuffed in wherever it could fit.  
  
I laughed in spite of myself. "Wow...ever hear of organizational skills?"  
  
He just glared at me in mock anger as he some how miraculusly found his geography book. Of course he couldn't pull it out without his math, French, and English books inevitably falling to the floor. Soon Jamie was chuckling along with me as I bent down and helped him pick up his books and wedge them back in his locker. He managed to shut his locker door and together we began the short walk to geography.  
  
Jamie and I have been best friends since the first grade. I'm not sure how we actually became friends exactly, but I am sure it did happen in the first grade. Now we're 17, both Juniors in high school.  
  
Last year he got caught boosting several packs of guitar strings from a local music store. Since that wasn't exactly his first offense, the store manager didn't take it too lightly. Originally Jamie was sentanced to three years in JuV, but out of luck, whether it be good or bad, this one Alex guy happened to be there at the time. He ran the volunteer EMT training program at out high school. He offered to take Jamie on as a recruit for the three years he was supposed to be spending in "The Hall." Eventually, Jamie finally decided to take him up on his offer. I guess it is better than going to JuV Hall, but that stupid EMT squad takes up a lot of his time and we hardly ever get a chance to hang out anymore I mean, I do realize that if he did go to the Hall we wouldn't be able to see eachother at all, but... I still miss spending time with him.  
  
We didn't date or anything like that if that's what you're thinking. Even though our three friends, Val Lanier, Tyler Connel, and Hank Beechum, keep insisting we would be perfect for eachother, I just can't see Jamie as anything more than a friend, and I'm sure he feels the same way about me.  
  
We reached the door of the geography room just in time to hear the bell ring. Late again, but oh well. We could care less about a few tardies on our records. Then again, we'd most likely recieve detentions; we haven't been on time once this week. But if and when that happened, we would at least get to hang out in detention together. It wouldn't be so bad.  
  
"So, what do you suppose we're in for? Deto?" Jamie asked me amusedly.  
  
"Of course," I shrugged, an apathetic smile twisting the corners of my mouth upwards.  
  
"After you," Jamie held open the door and politely motioned for me to go first. I playfully shoved him aside and boldly walked into the classroom, met with a stern gaze from our teacher, Mrs. Wolland.  
  
"Ah, Miss Roth, Mr. Waite... How did I know you two would show up late once again?" She confronted us, speaking in a high pitched nasilly voice which sounded a lot like scratching nails on a chalkboard. You couldn't help but cringe ever time you heard it.  
  
"Um...I dunno...you psychic maybe?" Jamie suggested, trying to keep a straight face as a few kids in the back of the room giggled nervously.  
  
"Yes, I suppose I am. I'm so psychic, in fact, that I've already had your detention slips written out since this morning. Enjoy." She handed us each a bright yellow slip of paper covered in her fancy swirly cursive handwriting, (I hate her handwriting), and shooed us away to our usual seats in the back of the room.  
  
I slumped down into the empty desk by the window, sighed; bored with the same routein, folded the piece of paper in half, and stuffed it into my folder.  
  
Jamie dropped his books loudly onto the desk next to me and sat down as Mrs. Wolland began her long droaning lecture on Paraguay. A lot of the time I found myself wondering how our teacher ever managed to find herself a husband. She was short and round with frizzy, wirey, grey hair. The one animal she resembled the most was a bulldog. Believe it or not, she really looked like one with her smashed in nose, wrinkly skin that hung down the sides of her face in long wobbly jowels, and a bottom jaw that jutted out, putting her bottom teeth in front of her top ones. She's a genuine hag. Maybe her husband is as ugly as she is...  
  
"Actually, I could really use this detention." Jamie's whisper shook me out of my trance. "A squad free hour or two could really help me catch up on my history. You still getting an A in it? Maybe you could...er...sort of help me...with it?"  
  
"Sure," I whispered back. "What are you getting now?"  
  
"Uh..." He rubbed the back of his head embarassedly. Jamie and I felt so relaxed together. We didn't care how we looked, what we said, what we did around eachother. We were close friends and outward appearances couldn't mean less to us. Even a few accidentally harsh insults couldn't affect what we had. The only thing in the world that bothered Jamie to talk about with me is school stuff. Grades, GPA's, test scores, things like that.  
  
See, I guess I'm what you could consider a Goth, seeing as that's what everyone in school calls me. Not that I mind or anything. I'd rather be some Gothic chick than some mindless follow-the-latest-trend-even-if-it's- the-gayest-thing-in-the-world teenie bopper. I pride myself on my individuality. I have long straight dark brown hair and eyes so light brown they look almost yellowish. In fact, I do wear coloured contacts which gives them an even more amber-like quality. You'd never find me in Abercrombie, Aeropastale, Gap, or Tommy Hilfiger clothes. None of that name brand crap. I'm more of a Hot Topic or Torrid kind of girl. My favorite colours are black, red, an purple, which is pretty much all I'll wear. But of all the names people call me, Goth Sloth, freak, weird, Wicca child, there's only one that they could never refer to me as. Dumb. What I lacked in looks, "normality," and social skills, I made up for in smarts. I got almost straight A's on my last report card, with the exception of one B+ in algebra all because I didn't feel like doing some of the homework assignments.  
  
Jamie, on the other hand, is a full head taller than me with spikey brown hair with natural blonde highlights. He's a typical rebellious teenager, obsessed with leather jackets and motorcycles. He isn't that bad looking, but his inability to control his tongue when he's angry usually gets him into a lot of trouble. He's loyal, but often head strong and stubborn. Jamie used to do fairly well in school; elementary and Jr. High; but about two years ago his parents went through a messy divorce. It really shook him up. He never actually completely stopped trying, he just sort of...stopped putting 100% of his efforts into his school work. His grades slowly started dropping...he just stopped caring. His father never kept in touch, and his mom didn't pay much attention to him anymore. Ever since his dad left, she's become sort of spaced out and lethargic...on several occasions I've reminded him that he can always talk to me about it if he wanted to, and he always said he would if he ever felt like it, but he hasn't yet. Anyway, even though Jamie doesn't care too much about his grades, I guess he feels kind of self-concious disscussing them in front of me. It must have took him a lot of courage to ask me for help. "Well...I think I'm currently getting a sixty-seven..."  
  
"Sixty-seven?!" I could barely keep my voice under a whisper. "Jamie, history's one of the easiest subjects! Do I even want to know what your other grades are?"  
  
"No," he smiled meekly.  
  
"Waite, Roth, didn't you two learn in elementary school not to talk while the teacher is talking?" Mrs. Wolland demanded angrilly. "Must I really baby-sit you two?" I really hate that terminology. "I'll tell you what, James, why don't you switch places with Jason. Maybe then you two will behave."  
  
Jamie sighed reluctantly and began stuffing all of his papers back into his binder.  
  
"So long, James," I imitated Mrs. Wolland's voice.  
  
He only smiled wryly (he hates being called that), and stood up.  
  
My heart skipped a beat as Jason made his way to Jamie's former desk. Jason Rendleman was a very tall sixteen year old with long spiked up bleached blonde hair and soldier blue eyes. He was a perfect punk with a silver nose ring and a gold earring with a long chain that attatched it to a black spiked chocker collar around his neck. He wore a black Minor Threat T-shir over a black long sleeve shirt, the sleeves extra long with holes cut in them for his thumbs. His baggy black cargo pants rode low on his hips, showing the elastic waist of his dark green boxers, held there loosly by a black square studded belt. I nodded hello to him as he took Jamie's seat, and he gave me a little half-smile in return. He really wasn't that bad looking...if your tastes ran that way (which mine did ;) ) Actually, I've always had the tiniest crush on him since last year...well, maybe it's not that tiny...  
  
"Ok," Mrs. Wolland continued. "I know how much you love South American countries..."  
  
The whole class groaned.  
  
"And I know how tired you must be of my voice..."  
  
A few brave people cheered, but our teacher ignored this and continued.  
  
"For the next two weeks you and a partner will be working on a report about the South American country of your choice. Partners," she said loudly as everyone begain pairing up with their usual accomplices, "will be the person sitting next to you." (More moans) She began passing out a sheet of paper to everyone. "Here's a paper listing all the things you'll need to have in your report. Due two Fridays from now. You may begin."  
  
I shrugged hopelessly at Jamie as I scooted my desk closer to Jason's. Jamie's parter was Jake Menold, a good friend of both of us. Though Jamie was lucky enough to get to work with a friend, (friends were rarely seated together in this class), I knew that with those two together, they wouldn't get any work done.  
  
"So...it's...Caitie, right?" Jason asked me timidly.  
  
I smiled cheerfully and nodded absentmindedly. Even his voice was hot...I realized I was staring and quickly averted my gaze, my cheeks pink. "And you're Jason...yeah, I've seen you around..."  
  
"Yup...uh...you got a preference on what country you want to do our report on?"  
  
I shook my head. "No, I don't care."  
  
"Ok, then pick one."  
  
"I...I...I don't know...you pick one, it doesn't matter to me."  
  
"It doesn't matter to me either...here." He opened his textbook to a map of South America and slid it towards me. "Just choose one."  
  
"I...I..." My cheeks were getting redder by the second. I was trying to say 'Venusuela,' but my tongue wouldn't form the word. *You're freezing, Caitie! Calm down,* I tried to tell myself.  
  
"How about...Brazil then?" Jason suggested.  
  
I still couldn't say anything so I just nodded dumbly.  
  
"Brazil it is, then...with it's hot...steamy rainforests...very romantic."  
  
There couldn't have been an ounce of blood left in my body, it had all suddenly rushed to my head.  
  
"Have you ever been there before?"  
  
"No...I...I've never been out of the country before..." I shyly admitted.  
  
"Really?" He seemed surprised. "Brazil is great...I'd love to live there...in a quiet secluded spot...in the middle of the jungle...no other humans anywhere near, just the sound of the trees rustling, animals calling, birds chirping, and the occasional sound of rain...it really is paradise...no one around to bother you, to set restricting rules on you..."  
  
I didn't say anything. What was I supposed to say? It's just...the way he said it, his voice so soft and sensual...was he hitting on me? I haven't had much experience with guys to know if that was the case. Though for the longest time I've been dying to snag a date with him, with him acting this way, it just gave me a sort of bad feeling. I didn't have much time to dwell on it, however, as my attention was suddenly claimed by the wadded up piece of paper that bounced off the desk in front of me. My head spun around in Jamie's direction where he and Jake were waving guiltilly. I snatched the paper ball off the floor and unfolded it, thinking it might be a note, but when it just wound up being a discarded sketch of a layout for their report, I just crumpled it back up, stuck my tongue out at Jamie, and chucked it back at him, pegging him on the arm.  
  
"Is he your boyfriend?" Jason asked me unexpectedly.  
  
"I..uh...Jamie? Ha, no way," I answered quickly.  
  
"Oh, sorry, I just thought...the way you two act..."  
  
"That's what everyone says," I rolled my eyes. "But it's definantly not going to happen. We're just friends."  
  
"Oh, cool."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
We didn't talk much after that, just about our project, and we both avoided eachother's gaze until the bell finally rang. Jason agreed to keep our papers in his locker till tomorrow and waved good bye as he walked out the door.  
  
I picked up my things and joined Jamie and Jake who were still trying to put everything away. "You got that much done?" I asked, skeptically eyeing the thick stack of paper in Jake's hand.  
  
"Well..." he tried to explain, but I easilly swiped the papers from him and looked them over.  
  
"I should have known," I shook my head in mock disappointment. Rather than information about South America, the papers were filled with Jamie's talentless sketches and Jake's artist-quality drawings of scantly clad, big breasted animé girls. I cocked my eyebrow at a particularly revieling drawing of an Island girl who was wearing nothing but a long grass skirt and a flower lei (the petals barely covering up...those). I read the title, "This Is What the Women Look Like in Ecuador," and dropped the stack bnack onto the table. "Oh, yeah, I'm sure all the chicks look exactly like that. Put that in your report and see what Mrs. Wolland says."  
  
"Right," Jake tucked his books under his arm. "Have fun in detention, you guys." And with a cheerful wave he made his way to the door.  
  
"Do you know what room deto's in?" I asked Jamie.  
  
He shrugged. "I think Mrs. Lindley's...c'mon." He playfully put his arm around my shoulders, gave me a little sideways hug, and escorted me out of the classroom.  
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Hmm...I told you I was a bad writer ^^; Well, ho hum, Not too much J/C yet, but I promise you, it will come ^-^ I'm not that great at writing beginnings or intros like this, so I promise the next chapters WILL be better, I promise! reviews are always appreciated, so please R/R...or not...I'm used to not getting very many reviews on my fics...my only successful one was my Eminem one, with 49 reviews...but of course evil FF.net just had to shut down Music Group fics... x.x Anyway...whatever...I'll just write the next chapter now cause I have no life and nothing better to do.... 


	2. Asked Out

I was sitting on the wide window sill, lazilly flicking tiny wads of paper at the wall. Jamie was slumped in a desk, jelously eying one of Jake's sketches and trying persistantly to draw one of his own. Unusually, we were the only ones in detention today. It was pretty boring.  
  
"How does he do it?" Jamie lamented to himself. "It's not fair. how can anyone draw that good?"  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be working on your history?" I reminded him, tired of his mutterings.  
  
"Who cares about history? I'm working on something much more important," he snorted indignantly.  
  
"Caitie? Jamie? Detention again?"  
  
We both looked up to see our friend, Valerie LaNier, standing in the doorway. Val, the tall popular blonde cheerleader...who would think she could be my very best friend in the whole wide world? (The only one closer to me than Jamie.) She's also on the EMT squad, though unlike Jamie, she volunteered for it on her own free will.  
  
"Of course, where else would we be?" I smiled sweetly at her.  
  
"Then Jamie," she turned to him, "the least you could have done was beeped me," she waved her beeper in the air. "When you didn't show up at the station after school and didn't even call, Alex hit the roof!"  
  
"I *tried* calling, but Mrs. Lindley wouldn't hear of it. She made me turn off everything," Jamie shrugged apoligetically.  
  
"Yeah, Alex said he tried calling your cell, but he only got your voicemail. He sent Tyler to check the bleachers at the football field for you, Hank to run by your house, and me to see if you were stuck in detention. Guess I'll go call them and tell them I've found you. What time are you out of here?"  
  
"We only have fifteen mintues left," I answered for him.  
  
"Great, then I'l see you then, Jamie. Bye-bye, Caitie!" Smiling broadly, she turned and disappeared from sight behind the door frame. Suddenly she popped back up, a mischevious grin on her face. "And, oh, Cai-tie..."  
  
"Wha-at?" I imitated her sing-song voice.  
  
"*Somebody* stopped by my locker after last period and wanted me to ask you something..."  
  
"Well...? Who was it? Lemmie guess, Brianne? Jake? Mark?"  
  
"Actually...do you know a certain...Jason Rendleman?"  
  
My heart jumped up to my mouth at the sound of his name. Jason Rendleman? *Jason Rendleman*?! Did I even dare consider it? I couldn't help my mind from imagining the super-tall, super-hot Jason, too embarassed to ask me straight out, so he scopes out my best friend to find out if I had a boyfriend or not, to see if I was "availible..." Now that I thought about it, it did seem remotely possible...I mean, he looked so interested when he asked me if Jamie was my boyfriend...but when I looked back up at Val my heart fell back down, along with my hopes. There was something about her sly grin that told me she was just screwing with me. After all, she's always known of my huge crush on him. I mean, she is my best friend and all. I do tell her everything.  
  
I forced a laugh. "Right. Seriously, who was it, Val?" I tried my best not to let my disappointment show.  
  
"...Jason Rendleman." She looked at me expectantly.  
  
"Really?" I asked meekly, preparing myself for the inevitable "Well, actually..."  
  
"God, yes, Caitie! Jeeze!" She rolled her eyes in exasperation, laughing at my distrust.  
  
My heart skipped a beat. She was serious! *Somebody wanted me to ask you something...* Ask me something?...Out...maybe? But of course, the simplest most rational explaination dawned on me, tearing my hopes down once again like a heavy wrecking ball inside my stomach. He was my partner for that stupid geography project. If anything his question was about or report. Of course.  
  
"Well, anyway," Val shrugged, digging through her purse for her cell phone. "He just wanted to know if you were doing anything tomorrow afternoon. Wanted to know if you would be interested in doing something with him. Give him your answer the nixt time you see him. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to head back to the station to let everyone know I've found you. See you in a few minutes, Jamie." She waved good-bye and once again walked away.  
  
I just sat there staring off into space, too shocked to move or say anything. Was this all a dream? Had I fallen asleep in the middle of detention, or worse, algebra, and am just imagining it? Did my ultimate crush really ask me out?  
  
"So, that Jason creep asked you on a date?" Jamie's bitter voice brought me back into focus and helped me establish that this was no dream, that this was indeed reality.  
  
"I...I guess so..." I stammered.  
  
Pause. "Are you sure Val wasn't just making it up?" He eyed me skeptically. "I mean, ever since she hooked up with Tyler, she's gotten almost as bad as he is with his practical jokes..."  
  
"No," I shook my head defiantly. "Val wouldn't joke about something this big."  
  
"'This big?' What's so 'big' about it?" His voice had a sharp edge to it that I had never heard before. I couldn't be jelousy, could it? Nah, Jamie had no reason to be. He had *plenty* of crushes of his own to worry about.  
  
"Well, duh! I...I mean..." I quickly bit my lip. I forgot I hadn't told him about my disturbing obsession. "I mean, it's been so long since any guy's given me the time of day...she just...wouldn't joke about that..." I spat out lamely.  
  
"Ah...you gonna say yes?"  
  
*Why* did he keep asking me questions like that? "I...I guess...I haven't been on a date with a guy for ages..."  
  
"So? You don't *have* to say yes to that queer. You don't have to 'settle' for anyone. Don't sell yourself short, you can do so much better than *him*."  
  
I couldn't help my cheeks from blushing. Luckilly Mrs. Lindley returned just at that moment and I didn't have to give him an answer. "Ok, Jamie, Caitie, you're free to go," she waved absentmindedly, and we eagerly snagged our things and left.  
  
"Have fun in your little geek squad," I joked as we made our way down the long forboding hallway towards the front door and freedom.  
  
"Right. I can't wait till my stupid probation is over," he moaned.  
  
"Caitie!"  
  
I turned around at the sound of my name and froze when I saw none other than the blonde haired Jason hurrying after me. "Uh...hey...why are you still here?"  
  
"Oh, no special reason," he shrugged, catching up to us. "Me and a couple of the guys were out back skating," he jerked his thumb behind him in the direction of the south exit, "and I remembered you and detention and would be getting out soon, and...well...I'm not sure if Valerie LaNier talked to you yet or not, but...I knew she was one of your friends, and I told her to ask you if you would be interested in going somewhere...with me, Friday...well, that's tomorrow, and..."  
  
"Er...yeah, Val told me..." I rubbed the back of my head embarassedly.  
  
"So, then...do you havean answer?" he asked.  
  
"Er..." I felt my face begin to burn. Beside me Jamie noticably stiffened.  
  
"Oh, please," he muttered to himself.  
  
"Hey, shut up!" Jason glared down at him. He was about three inches taller than Jamie, and with his long hair spiked up like that he looked even more intimidating.  
  
"No," Jamie scowled back. "You're up to something, aren't you? I want to know why you're hooking on Caitie when you've got all the slutty cheerleaders knocking down you're door! What's in it for you?"  
  
"Jamie!" I squeeled.  
  
"You don't know what you're talking about, why dont' you just stay out of it?" Jason snarled, shoving him roughly.  
  
"Guys, guys, stop," I interrupted, not wanting them to start fighting.  
  
"So, Caitie, yes or no? for tomorrow?"  
  
"No," Jamie answered for me. "Don't do it, Caitie, don't do it."  
  
"Did I ask you?" Jason shoved him again.  
  
"Stop!" I sighed, exasperated. "I...I..." Though Jamie's observation did stir up several bad feelings in the back of my mind, I had been dying for a date with Jason since I was a freshman. I should be thrilled, right? This was the perfect oppertunity and I couldn't let it go. So, swallowing my insecurities, and trying to ignore Jamie's whispered objections to me, I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes," I said uncertainly. "Ok, yes."  
************************************** A/N: Wee, second chap done ^-^ Thanks to the few people who have reviewed it...and if you're having trouble trying to picture Jason, just look at a pic of Arashi from the Paradise Kiss mangas. I based him on Arashi :) Anyway, R/R pleeeeaze...third chap coming soon hopefully ^^; 


	3. The Date From Hell

A/N: Ok, let me just say one thing... Can you people please get it right?! I'm sick and tired of reading IAHB fics that always have Caitie's name spelled wrong! And I'm sick of getting E-mails about my fics saying I've spelled it wrong!!! It's CaItie! Not Catie!!!! Get it right! I have most of the episodes taped, and on the openeing credits it always shows a pic of Caitie and says "Jackie Rosenbaum as Caitie" AND, in the one episode where Val and Caitie write their essays for the contest about eachother, at the bottom of her essay, Caitie signs her name CAITIE! AND, in the CLOSED CAPTIONING it spells it as CAITIE!!!! STILL don't believe me?! Then do a search on the internet for it! It'll say her name's spelled CAITIE! STILL don't believe me? Then get a life! (Lord knows I need one) -_-' *sigh* Sorry if this seems like such a minor thing to get so upset about, but it's just that ever since Disney abandoned them, I've kind of adopted the characters myself, using them for everything and anything, including fanfics, roll playing, and school papers, and it just annoys me so much when someone calls themself a bigger IAHB fan than me and can't even spell one of the main character's names right...Anyway, sorry if this offends anyone, I didn't mean it to be offensive, I just wanted to see Caitie's name spelled right for once -_-' Anyway, thank you, now onto chapter three...  
  
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I walked to geography alone today. Jamie was still sore at me for deciding to go out with Jason, and he hadn't spoken to me all day. Why was he so mad? My dream had finally come true, the least he could do was be happy for me. I walked through the door, before the bell for once, and quietly made it to my desk. I chanced a glance in Jamie's direction, but he kept his head down, staring at some paper in front of him.  
  
I sighed and began rumaging through my folder for the information on Brazil I had printed out last night on my computer.  
  
"Hey, Kitten!" I nearly jumped out of my skin when Jason suddenly appeared behind me with his arm around my shoulders.  
  
"God, don't scare me like that!" I whispered to him.  
  
"Aw, I'm sorry! So how's my girlfriend doing today?"  
  
"Oh...ah...fine," I stammered. Girlfriend? Since when did I become his girlfriend? Today was only our first date! I felt his fingers lightly twisting the ends of my long, dark hair as he leaned forward, curiously looking at my papers.  
  
"Oh, you scored some info off the net? That's cool. I was going to do that, but my printer stopped working." He moved his face closer to mine as he continued flipping through my notes, and I sunk down farther in my chair. He really was starting to make me feel uncomfortable.  
  
Suddenly there was a loud smack and Jason quickly withdrew his arm from around me. "Ow! Shit!" he cursed, rubbing the red mark on his hand.  
  
I turned around to see Mrs. Wolland standing behind us, her ruler clutched firmly in her hands. "Profanity and sexual contact are *not* allowed in my classroom, Mr. Rendleman. I'd appriciate it if you avoided it in the future. You're supposed to be working on your reports, not your love lives. Save that for your own time. Now get to work, go on."  
  
"Fine," Jason rolled his eyes. "After school," he whispered softly in my ear before he pulled his desk over and began organizing our information as if nothing had just happened, leaving an akward silence between us. What have I gotten myself into? Looking back over at Jamie, I finally caught his gaze. He looked genuinely hurt.  
  
I felt a pang of sadness when Jamie quickly turned away. Maybe he was right, maybe I was in this too deep...I glanced at the clock. Only forty minutes left till the end of class...maybe I could think of something, could find some good excuse to get myself out of this...But of course, the other half of my concience interviened. What was I doing? There was nothing wrong with Jason. Maybe he was tired of all the preppy chearleaders and decided he'd try someone more like him...right...and since he was used to all the sluts who enjoyed fast-movers, he didn't know how to act infront of me, and that explained everything...yeah...  
  
I knew it was pretty unlikely, but no matter what odd stories my brain came up with, I had made my decision. I wouldn't break my date with Jason for anything, not even for Jamie.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*Brrring!*  
  
The sound of the bell, strangely magnified, reverberated through the four walls of the small classroom, sending chills down my spine.  
  
Jason got up and cheerfully filed all the papers in his folder. He tapped the desktop in front of me twice and smiled. "I'll meet your down at your locker in a tick, deal?" And with that, he joined the line of students rushiong to get out the door to enjoy the freedom of the weekend.  
  
I headed towards Jamie who was laughing and joking with Jake Menold. "Hey," I greeted softly, not sure of his reaction. But he proceded to carry on with Jake, completely ignoring me. "Jamie...!" Jake nodded towards me, and looked confusedly back and forth between the two of us, though Jamie still refused to give me the time of day. "Fine," I scoffed." I don't know what crawled up your ass, but it's up to you to deal with it. So long *Jake*." I stuck my tongue out at Jamie and left without a second glance back.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I roughly forced all my needed books into my bookbag, still fuming over Jamie's attitude toward this whole date thing. I really wish I knew what he was so pissed about. Sure, Jason may *look* like "bad company" with his chains and piercings, but that didn't necisarilly mean he *was*. He wanted to be known as a punk and was just living up tot he standards.  
  
"So..."  
  
Once again I was startled by Jason's sudden appearance. "So...er...what?" I couldn't keep myself from blushing.  
  
"...So what would you like to do?"  
  
"I...on our date?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Oh, I don't care...it's up t o you..." I bit my tongue a little too late. Maybe I shouldn't have said that...  
  
"Ok..." he shrugged. "I would have planned something, it's just that all the other chicks I've gone out with knew exactly where they wanted to go and what they wanted to do..."  
  
My heart soared with this news! Ah ha! So my little theory was at least part way true! He wasn't used to dating honest, sincere girls! I almost completely relaxed at once. Jamie's fears had been entirely misplaced.  
  
"So...then...how about a movie?" He suggested.  
  
"Ok," I quickly agreed.  
  
"What one?"  
  
"Erm..."  
  
"Oh, come on, don't leave *everything* up to me," he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Ok then, what about..." My mind had completely gone blank. I tried vainly to wrack my brain to think of one good movie that was playing, one that wouldn't make me look like a dork...was Lord of the Rings a "cool" movie? Oh, I don't know! Curse my anti-sociality! "What about The Ring?" I threw out at the last second. Was that a good choice? I looked up at him expectantly.  
  
"Sure," he smiled, and I sighed with relief. "That works. I'll tell you what, why don't you run by your house real quick to drop off your stuff or change your clothes or whatnot and meet me at the theatre at four...or would you rather have me come pick you up?"  
  
"Uh, I'll just meet you there," I answered.  
  
"Cool," Jason shrugged. "That's probably best, as both my car and my lisence got suspended. Of course I could always find a nice car to swipe, if you'd prefer..." his eyes glinted mischeviously.  
  
"No, no, that's ok," I quickly refused. The last thing I need was for him to suddenly pop up at my house in a stolen car, especially with both my parents gone on a business trip. Actually, I wasn't 100% sure I could trust him yet. Something in the very back, deep, dark corners of my mind kept stirring up bad feelings and vibes. I was so glad he suggested going to a movie rather than some long romantic picnic on some deserted beach where anyone could be easilly raped. "So, uh...I'll see you there in an hour," I ended the conversation. He nodded and went his separate ways.  
  
I let out the breath I had been subconciously holding in and inwardly scolded myself for being so nurotic as I snagged my things and left.  
  
With my bookbag slung over my shoulder, I used the side of my arm to push open the door, stepped down the three front steps, and started towards the direction of my house. I didn't usually walk home, Jamie would normally give me a lift there on his motorcycle, but since we obviously weren't on speaking terms...Oh well, it didn't matter much anyway. My house was only a few blocks away, and it wouldn't kill me to get some exercise...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*(Lossa separaters in this chap ^^;)~*~*~*  
  
In only a few minutes i was standing on the doorstep of my small, single level brick house. I slipped the door keys, which were held together with a blue "Save A Tree, Eat A Beaver!" keychain, from my back jeans pocket ant opened the door. I sighed embarassedly as even more paint flaked off the already almost rotting door, and shrugged hopelessly, just thankful that Jason couldn't see it. Stepping inside and letting the screen door slam shut behind me, I dumped my stuff on the dingy green couch and hurried off to my room to choose an outfit to wear.  
  
Opening my messy closet, I looked around for something to pick out. After much depate, I finally decided on a purple plastic-like vinal type mini skirt, black fishnet tights, a black turtleneck sweater, and a purple sleeveless vest-jacket thing which matched my skirt. Checking my reflection in the mirror, I flicked a strand of my limp black hair over my shoulder, wishing to death I looked prettier and wondering what in the world Jason saw in me. Oh well, no time to dwell on it now, I would have to leave now if I wanted to make it to the theatre before the movie started. It would be somewhat of a walk, especially in the black high- heeled boots I was planning to wear...But somehow I'd manage. If I cut across a few people's lawns and took a few shortcuts, it wouldn't be too much of a hassle. I did consider taking my bike or my blades, but having to lug them around everythere was more trouble than it was worth. I finally just decided to hike off as is, and, dropping my house keys into my jacket pocket and grabbing my little puple mini back pack, I slipped into my shoes and left the house, starting in the direction of the movie theatre.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*(More seperaters ^^;)~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"There you are," Jason smiled as I walked up to him, standing on the curb outside the theatre. "You took your time, but the finished product was worth the wait."  
  
I blushed and looked down at my boots. Jason had changed clothes too. Now he was wearing a green torn-sleeve street style shirt witha white skull and crossbones on the back, and several band patches on the front, including a Blink-182, Limp Bizcut, and a Korn one. He still had on the same black cargo pants though.  
  
"Well, hey, come on, we're going to miss the beginning of the movie," Jason motioned for me to follow him as he pulled open the glass door of the cinema.  
  
He leaned casually on the ticket counter in front of the cashier, a tall teenage guy with reddish brown hair and blue-green eyes. I was pretty sure I had seen him at school before. "Two for The Ring, Steve," Jason winked and nodded, dropping a ten dollar bill on the table top.  
  
"Oh, I've got money-" I quickly interjected.  
  
"Nah, save it, my treat," Jason refused.  
  
"Erm...ok..." I shrugged akwardly.  
  
Steve, the theatre employee who had to be friends with Jason, smirked at him as he took the money and gave him two pieces of white paper. I noticed his eyes flicker towards me for a instant, then back to Jason. "That's...?" He talked in a low voice, barely understandable from my position.  
  
Jason quickly nodded.  
  
"Score!" Steve grinned mischeviously. "Dude, that's perfect! He'll-"  
  
Jason noticed me watching them closely and immediantly cut him off. "Yeah, completely...I'll catch ya later."  
  
"Ok, so long, Jay," Steve smiled as Jason led me down the hall toward the fourth cinema. He pushed open the door and together we walked down the dark aisle way between the two sections of seats and took two chairs somewhere near the middle of the room. We arrived just in time, because once we got comfortable, the opening previews ended and the movie began. There weren't very many other people in the theatre, only about nine or ten, which was understandable, considering that The Ring had been out for almost a month, and just about everyone had gone to see it on the first week.  
  
The movie began with some strange disturbing black and white silent student film that really haunted your thoughts and put you on edge. Before I knew it, I was completely lost in the movie, marveling at the mystery and ingenius of it all.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"My wife was not supposed to have a child!" I watched in horror as Mr. Morgan climbed into the water-filled bathtub, all the electrical wires plugged into the extension outlet hanging around his neck, knkowing full well what his intent was, but...he couldn't, he wouldn't...would he? I jumped and cringed as he switched on the extention outlet, electrocuting himself. My God!  
  
I was so on edge from this movie that I nearly screamed out loud when I felt Jason put his arm around me. He laughed at my reaction, giving me a little squeeze. My heart began pounding so loud I supposed he could hear it. The movie forgotton, all my thoughts focused on Jason and his arm, wondering what on Earth I could do if he tried grabbing something he shouldn't...I waited a minute, all tensed up, but his hand never moved any lower than my shoulder. I relaxed and leaned a little closer to him. Still nothing. Of course! Jason's never been anything less than nice to me, a perfect gentleman. I don't know how I could have ever thought his intentions could be...like that. Jamie was a nimrod and I was one too for letting what he said bother me so much. I completely relaxed and went back to enjoying the movie. Jason was the perfect boyfriend.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Finally the movie was over with a rather cliff hanger-like ending that really creeped me out. I stood up and stretched, brushing down my mini skirt. Jason joined me, cracking his knuckles and running his fingers through his bleached spiked hair.  
  
"That was a good movie," I smiled cheerfully.  
  
Jason quickly agreed with me. "Yeah, it was...didn't have any cheap fake- looking effects like most the other scary movies. It was cool." He grinned and checked his watch. "Six O'clock...you got a set time you gotta be home?" he said almost teasingly.  
  
"Oh, pul-eaze," I laughed with him. "Not tonight...my parents are out of the country."  
  
"Cool," he nodded, stepping out into the aisle way. "Then would you like to get something to eat?"  
  
"Well...I'm not really that hungry...but-"  
  
"Ok, then how about some dessert? We can get some ice cream from Dairy Queen, if you'd like," he suggested.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Ok." He put his arm around my shoulders once again, much in the same way Jamie did, and walked with me towards the exit.  
  
*~*~*~*~*(I PROMISE this is the last seperator for this chap!!!)~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
For the second time, Jason refused to let me pay for myself. He had bought us both ice cream cones, and now we were walking leasurely along main street, talking and eating peacefully.  
  
"So, uh...when did you get that?" I asked, pointing to his nose ring, trying to make conversation.  
  
He laughed, such a sweet sound. "In the eighth grade. Parents weren't too thrilled about it, but buff them."  
  
We waited for the traffic light to change, then we crossed the street, looking at all the dimly-lit windows, the stores all closed for the night. We threw away our garbage from our dessert, then Jason cleared his throat and spoke. "So, ah...eight-sixteen...you've got three choices..."  
  
Thinking he meant three different things we could do before our date ended, I smiled impishly and asked what they were.  
  
"A: My place, B: Yours, or C: A hotel."  
  
"Woah!" I stepped in front of him and turned around to face him, not sure if he was just joking or not. "Excuse me?!"  
  
He stopped and looked me over, a disappointed look on his face. "You really are a virgin, aren't you?"  
  
"What?!" was all I could spit out.  
  
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Never mind..." A devilish smile snaked across his lips. "C'mon, I'll show you what it's like."  
  
And he grabbed my arm and dragged me into the nearby dark alley way.  
  
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A/N: Third chap done...I was getting too attatched to Jason at the beginning of this chapter, so I just made him like all the bands I absolutely hate ^_^ Now I'm ready to make him the villain of the story :-P Please R/R, if you have any kindness in you at all :) 


	4. Saved

A/N: Sorry it took so long to write the next chapter ^^; It's just that I kinda got behind in getting the next volumes of my mangas, so I just reciently bought the new ones that I needed (I was behind 8 books ^^;;) And I've been spending the last couple days reading them, so, I'm caught up now, so here's the next chap, enjoy!  
  
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I tried to scream, but before my brain could respond, Jason roughly threw me down on top of a pile of trash-filled black garbage bags, knocking the wind out of me. He then rolled on top of me, covering my mouth with his, blocking any chance of me calling for help. I tried to fight hm off, to kick and hit him, but he seemed impervious to pain and none of my thrashings hurt him. He was just too strong and easilly pinned me down with minimal effort. I felt his hand unbutton my purple jacket, slowly creeping under my shirt, up my bare stomach, and I tried vainly to stop him...but of course I had no effect on him. His tongue was groping around all the way at the back of my throat, nearly gaging me.  
  
My God! I was going to get raped. I was going to get raped and I couldn't do anything about it! And by my own crush too! Why do your idols always turn out to be huge creeps once you get to know them? Oh God...I had always imagined my first time being sweet and romantic, with the one I loved in the perfect place...but this...It just hurt so much to know there was nothing I could do to stop it! I felt like a rabbit caught in a snare, like a butterfly with its wings pulled off. All I could do was grin and bear it and hope to death that I didn't get pregnant or contract a disease...My God! Tears ran freely down my face as I still continued feebly trying to push him away. But then...  
  
I opened my eyes and looked up in disbelief as he suddenly pulled away from me. He still had me pinned down, but his head was up and his eyes weary, looking in the direction of the street where the sound of a car or some sort of vehicle was growing louder. The light from the headlights was now visible, driving away the looming shadows of the dark alley. Someone was coming! Someone was driving past! Someone who may be able to help me! I crossed my fingers and wished to God that that car could be a police car...even though I new that probably wasn't the case. Cops rarely circled the streets here in Kingsport...It's supposed to be a crime-free neighborhood! A safe one!  
  
Sure enough the vehicle zoomed into view and both of us could see it was just some guy on a motorcycle. Not a cop, but still.  
  
I quickly took advantage of the free movement to yell out as loud as I could with Jason's weight crushing my lungs. "Help me! Help me! Please!"  
  
"Hey! Shut up you!" He slapped me, then clamped my mouth shut with his hand. But it was too late. My shout had been heard. The rumbling of the motorcycle engine stopped for a second, then restarted as the driver turned his bike around and sped back to my imprisonment. "You little bitch," he cursed at me, rolling off me. I tried to quickly get up, but he shoved me back down, smacking my head ahainst the side of the brick wall, causing me to cry out involuntarilly. "I'll deal with you later," came his snarling voice from somewhere in front of me as he turned to face the approaching person.  
  
The stranger hopped off his bike and threw his helmet on the floor. "Hey! You! Leaver her alone!"  
  
No matter how pitch black it was in my corner of garbage bags, there was no mistaking that voice or his sillouette. As miniscule as the odds of this happening were, it was him. It was Jamie.  
  
"Want to make something of it?" Jason snorted.  
  
"Only if you want to," Jamie retorted back, his voice sounding just as strong, determined, and threatening as Jason's.  
  
I guess Jason did want to, as he suddenly shoved Jamie out of the shadows of the alley and into the street lights, where they could both see eachother clearly. Sure enough, I was correct. The person was Jamie. He and Jason took one look at eachother. "You!" they both exclaimed at the same time, Jamie in ann astonished voice and Jason in one that oosed pure hatred.  
  
My God. He knew. Realization had just dawned on me. Jamie knew. He knew I had liked Jason. He knew Jason had asked me out. He knew we had made plans for tonight. And he knew that the person cowering in the corner, the girl who was an inch from being raped, was me. Oh God, of all times and places, why did Jamie have to see me like this?!  
  
A shocked an worry-stricken expression on his face, Jamie took his eyes off Jason for a second and looked in my direction. "C...Caitie?" he stammered in disbelief. The consern in his voice brought tears of embarassment to my eyes. "My God!" He turned back to Jason. "You're sick! You bastard! What is your problem?!"  
  
"You." Jason attacked him, tackling him with his shoulder, trying to shove him down. He managed to knock Jamie back a few steps, but he kept his balance.  
  
"I knew you were up to something!" Jamie's eyes snapped angrilly. He jumped Jason, and somehow succeeded in landing a nice punch on the left side of his jaw before Jason kicked his feet out from underneath him.  
  
I cringed as Jamie landed painfully on his side on the hard concrete sidewalk. Why was this happening?! Why did Jamie have to see me like this now?! I was a wimp! I was such a wimp! I try and act all tough all the time, to look all rebellious on the outside, but I can't even handle myself on a date because I'm really nothing more than a pathetic loser! And I was so stupid too! Jamie knew! He tried to tell me! He saw right through Jason's innocent ploy that succeeded in blinding me. He tried to warn me, he *tried* to get me to understand! But I wouldn't listen! I wouldn't listen because I was a stupid blockhead! Instead I ignored him, called him names, came up with insane off the wall stories, lied to myself, disconcerned my own feelings...How could I be so dumb?!  
  
It was my fault. It was all my fault! It was my fault I went out with Jason, and it was my fault I almost got raped. Jmie wasn't to blame, he had no part in it. He shouldn't be here, he shouldn't be fighting for me, getting hurt for me, risking everything just to save me...I brought all this on myself. The way I've acted...I deserved it. I deserved to get raped. I deserved it.  
  
The two of them were rolling on the ground now, kicking and ripping at eachother, both of them occasionally yelping in pain.  
  
I turned away from the awful sight, wishing it would all just go away. I indeed would have sold my soul, just to make this all a dream, all some made up fantasy in my head...I tried to block out the sound of them fighting, tried to focus on something else, but of course that was impossible.  
  
Somebody let out a strangled cry and I couldn't help but look back over at Jamie and Jason. Jamie was the one who had screamed. He was still lying on the ground. Jason, meanwhile, had managed to stand up and was now kicking Jamie violently in the stomach and the head.  
  
I couldn't do this. I couldn't let Jamie fight my battles for me. "Jason..." I said meekly. Of course he didn't hear me. I rolled over onto my hands and knees and crawled towards the two of them a couple steps. "Jason...Jason!" I called louder.  
  
He stopped kicking Jamie for a second to glare at me. "You just *better* stay out of this!" He yelled.  
  
Maybe I didn't physically touch Jason, but my short distraction was long enough for Jamie. Ignoring the blood that dripped down into his eyes from the cut above his eyebrow, Jamie grabbed on to Jason's leg and rolled over away from him, pulling him down suddenly. Jason's knee hit the pavement first, tearing a hole in his cargo pants. Then, while trying to keep his balance, he some how lost it and fell over, bashing his head soundly against the side of the brick building.  
  
Jamie quickly untangled himself from Jason's feet and got up, backing away from him. he watched Jason closely, all tensed up, ready to run, but Jason remained on his side, slowly rocking from side to side, cradling his head in his arms.  
  
Panting heavilly, Jamie relaxed a little bit and used the back of his denim jacked sleeve to wipe the red blood out of his eyes.  
  
Still gripping the back of his head, a look of pain still registered on his face, Jason sat up and slowly crawled to his feet, leaning against the wall for support. "You...James," he spat contemptuously.  
  
"Leave," Jamie said bluntly, his voice firm and unwavering.  
  
"James...!"  
  
"Leave now!"  
  
Jason just stood there, glaring fiercely at Jamie in a death stare that simply reeked pure hatred. "James...you'll be sorry!"  
  
"I'm warning you...!"  
  
"You'll regret this! You'll regret *everything*!"  
  
"Get out of here!" Jamie took a few menacing steps towards him and Jason backed up a few.  
  
"Fine! But mark my words, 'Waite'! You will be sorry! You'll regret everything you've *ever* done to me! I'll make you rue the day you*ever* crossed me!" And with that he seemed to have regained his senses and disappeared from view around the front of the store, running almost silently off into the night.  
  
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Wee ^-^ This story is about half way done at this point. How do y'all like it? Please R/R! Thankies! 


	5. Fear and Frustration

A/N: Yo! ^^;; Sorry once again it took so long to post the next chapter, but all my teachers have literally doubled the homework load over Spring Break, so I haven't had much time to write at all lately .o But, anyway, I'd just like to give a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed my fic, and an extra special one to Escaflowne for actually liking me enough to be put on his favorite list! ^_^ That's the first time I've ever been on Favorite Author list. Some of my individual fics have made someone's Favorite Fics list, but it's the first Author one I've ever been on :-D So thank you all!  
  
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Jamie cleared his throat, then turned around to face me. "...Caitie..."  
  
I sat back down, leaning against the side of the building, and hugged my knees to my chest. "What?" I ansered, trying my hardest not to cry.  
  
"My God..." He slowly walked over and knelt down beside me. "You...You Ok? He didn't...?"  
  
He soulded so worried, so concerned! That destroyed the already weak dam. A fresh wave of tears hit me and I burried my face in my knees, not wanting Jamie to see just how rattled I was, even though it was quite obvious.  
  
H waited a minute for my sobs to subside, then softly asked his question again. "Did he...?"  
  
I glanced back up at him for a second before covering my eyes with my hands and shaking my head.  
  
Jamie smiled grimly. "Well, I guess that's one thing to be thankful for..."  
  
I finally scraped up enough nerve to meet his gaze, but I couldn't keep my position for long, as my eyes began watering, my bottom lip began trembling, and I broke down once again. "God, just say it, Jamie! Just say it!"  
  
"Huh? Say what?" he asked in a confused voice.  
  
"Just say it! Say it now and get it over with!"  
  
He laughed uncertainly. "Caitie, I really don't know what you're talking about..."  
  
"You do too! You were right and I was wrong! This is all my fault and I should have listened to you, just say it!" I cried loudly, but Jamie only grinned and shook his head, putting his arm around my shoulders and giving me a little sideways hug.  
  
I sighed and stared down at the ground, both of us silent for a while. Still avoiding Jamie's eyes, I spoke, "Please...Jamie...go. Leave. Just go away and leave me here...I...I don't want you to see me like this..."  
  
"Caitie!" He looked at me incredulusly. "I'm not going to leave you alone in some dark deserted allwy way, Caitie, are you insane?!"  
  
I didn't move from my spot.  
  
"C'mon...Why don't I just give you a ride home? C'mon, please?"  
  
I proceeded to ignore him.  
  
"Ok, your choice...I'm not leaving until you decide to come with me..." I looked at him but still said nothing as he got up and stretched, cracking his neck and his knuckles, then he stood there, looking down at me, tapping his foot with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked so determinded, so *concerned* about my safety...why?  
  
"Caitie..."  
  
Well, there would be no getting around it. I slowly rose to my feet, but as I did so I began crying again. I had been an inch away from getting raped! Just one tiny inch! How could he be so calm?! How could he just stand there looking at me like nothing had just happened?! My dignity and self respect had been violently stripped from my grasp. Would it be possible to feel normal again? To be able to feel like...me...once more?  
  
"There you go, crying again," Jamie rolled his eyes in mock dissappointment. "C'mon, he's gone. He's not coming back. He didn't get what he came for...and besides, I cam and rescued you, didn't I?" An impish smile tweaked the corners of his mouth up.  
  
I tried to force a smile, but it didn't come. Instead, I turned my back to him. This was not how I wanted him to see me as! Not now! Not my soft inside that had somehow leaked through my tough exterior. The soft inside the world wasn't supposed to know about, not even Val, and especially not Jamie...  
  
"Cai-tie..." Jamie sighed in exasperation. "Come on." He gently grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards his motorcycle. I put up no resistance and allowed myself to be led, my head hanging down in embarassment and shame, my long hair covering my face from view.  
  
"You want front or back?" He asked me.  
  
I said nothing, but I pulled my hand away from his and half-heartedly straddled the front half of the seat, waiting for him to get on behind me. Since I was wearing a mini skirt and all, it would be a lot easier for me to keep my knees together if I sat in the front. And since I was so short and he so tall, Jamie would have no problem seeing over me. And besides. Jamie's bike had no windshield. I really felt like I deserved to sit and suffer in the biting cold, at least providing Jamie with some sort of shield...after all he's done for me and all I haven't.  
  
He swung his leg over the side of his motorcycle and turned the key, left in the ignition, in front of me. The motorcycle roared to life, the headlights cutting through the dark night air. With an arm on either side of me, he gripped the handlebars, twisted the throttle, kicked the start peddle, and we sped off down the empty road towards my house.  
  
Grasping the edge of the seat I was sitting on so I wouldn't fall off, I closed my eyes and huddled down, trying to make myself as small as possible, just wishing with all my heart that I could forget everything that happened tonight. The ice cold wind was blowing right in my face, stinging my cheeks like millions of sharp tiny needles.  
  
"You Ok?" I heard Jamie's voice out of my left ear.  
  
I nodded, still without looking up, then inhaled sharply as the dark sky above us was suddenly lit up as bright as if it were day. My eyes open now, another bolt of lightning rippled through the air, followed closely by the distant crack of thunder.  
  
"Storm's coming," Jamie stated, taking his eyes off the road for a second to glance up at the sky.  
  
A few seconds after he had said that, I felt several drops of water on my head and arms. It wasn't long before tiny rain drops, soon growing into larger ones, were pitterpattering on the road, all around us. A strong wind was blowing against us, hitting us head on, splattering freezing cold rain drops straught at our faces.  
  
Thunder rumbled again, startling me. I could feel goosebumps prickling out all over my skin and I shivered involuntarilly.  
  
"You sure you're Ok?" Jamie asked me again. "You cold? Want my jacket?"  
  
Even though we were only four blocks from my house, a short ride on a motorcycle, Jamie pulled over to the side of the road, under the meager sheltering of a small tree, and quickly removed his jacket, draping it around my shoulders before I could even utter a word. Then he restarted his bike once again.  
  
God, Jamie...all he was wearing underneath that was a thin black T- shirt...He must have been freezing! But...if he was...he didn't show it at all. He bravely faced the whipping wind and the harsh rain without even flinching. How he could possibly do that was beyond me...  
  
I pulled Jamie's jacket tighter around me as we turned in on my street and the dark shape of my house loomed closer and closer, barely visible beneath the shadows of the many trees surrounding it. Before I knew it, Jamie had pulled up into my driveway and shut off the engine. "Well...We're here..."  
  
Yeah, thank you," I smiled ambivalently, slowly and rather ungracefully hobbling off the motorcycle and regaining my balance, brushing down my mini skirt.  
  
"Welcome...You, ah...you sure you're gonna be alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." I looked down at my boots and remembered I was still wearing Jamie's denim jacket. "Oh, you want this back?" I offered, beginning to take it off.  
  
But he only refused, smiling back at me. "Naw, that's Ok. I'm good. Just give it back to me later."  
  
I looked at him, surprised. "You sure? God, it's like freakin' Antarctica out here, and you're soaked..."  
  
"No, I'm great..."  
  
"Um, ok, thanks," I rubbed the back of my head akwardly. "Well...I'll see ya later...thanks again for the ride..." I waved and turned away, walking up the stone steps that led to my front porch, and removing my backpack to dig through it for my door keys. Jamie was still there, waiting to make sure I got in Ok, though he had begun to back his bike out of my driveway. "God, where are my stupid keys now?" I muttered to myself...It wasn't like this was a huge canvas bag, and it wasn't filled to the brim with crap...they shouldn't be so hard to find...yet, it was as if they had vanished...An icy cold hand of fear gripped me. ...Oh God...Oh God, no..!  
  
I couldn't help but jump as the security lights mounted a top my garage suddenly flickered to life. The stupid things were supposed to go on when the motion sensors picked up anything, though they only seemed to work two percent of the time.....My blood ran cold. My keys missing, something setting off the motion sensored flood lights...I caught what I thought was some sort of movement out of the corner of my eyes, but when I spun around to get a better look, I couldn't distinguish anything unusual from the pitch black shadows of the surrounding foliage...but that didn't mean that I absolutely *didn't* see it...Oh God! He - He didn't...He couldn't...Oh my God!  
  
Dropping my backpack, I turned tail and tore out of there as fast as i could, leaping down the stairs and running through the slick, sopping wet grass, nearly slipping once or twice and almost twisting my ankle in an invisible indentation in the ground. I made it across my lawn toward Jamie, crying the whole way. When I finally reached him, I threw my arms around him, burrying my face in his arm, nearly knocking both him and his bike over. "Oh, God, Jamie...Jamie, God..." I sobbed.  
  
"What, Caitie?" He asked me, a confused smile on his face.  
  
"God, Jamie! He...He...He..."  
  
"He who? ...Jason?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
All traces of a smile suddenly gone from his face, he pried himself out of my death grip and forced me to look up at him. "What? What did he do?"  
  
"He took them! My house keys! He stole them! They're gone, they're not in my bag...!" I backed away from him a step and ran my fingers through my dark hair in pure fear and frustration. "God, he has my keys! He can get into my house now! Oh, God, Jamie, now what the hell am I going to do?!" I broke down into tears again, though they were barely visible against the drops of rain that was still coming down.  
  
"Caitie, Caitie, calm down," Jamie tried to reason with me. "Are they in your pocket?"  
  
My pockets? Did I dare consider or believe that I could have possible put them there? Did I dare get my hopes up even a little bit like that? Taking a deep breath, and rubbing at my eyes with the back of my hand, I timidly felt around in each of the six pockets in my vest-jacket, nearly collapsing with relief when my fingers brushed against the plastic surface of my keychain in the very last pocket I checked. I pulled them out and stared at them in disbelief before my face broke into a grin and I couldn't help but laugh at my anxiety. Of course! Before I had left my house at four, I had put them in my jacket pocket, not my bag! I remember now!  
  
I met Jamie's gaze and he smiled back at me, the rain water dripping from his spikey brown hair...I felt my cheeks flush and quickly looked away.  
  
"So, you gonna be alright now?" He teased.  
  
I began to nod, but when I glanced back at my house, the same feeling of uneasiness and dread settled back down on me.  
  
"You still worried?" He asked softly.  
  
Lighting flashed again. I said nothing.  
  
"...Want me to stay over for a while?"  
  
Thunder cracked short and loud right above us as I slowly nodded. "...At least to, you know, get out of the rain for a while..." I turned and began walking back to myf ront door. "Come on." I motioned for him to follow. He wheeled his motorcycle once again up my driveway and left it leaning against my garage door, where the over hanging roof would give it at least some protection from the storm, and soon we were both inside my messy, cluttered house, trying vainly to dry off.  
  
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Woo, Chap 5 dun ^-^ Please R/R, as always :) 


	6. Text Messages

A/N: Oh my goodness!! I'm so sorry it took soooooo long to post the next chapter!!! It's just that I hadn't had much inspiration to write lately, and rather than force myself to write a not-so-great chapter, I decided it would be better to wait for inspiration to come to me and write a better chapter ^^; Anyway, once again, thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed this story! And also another special thanks to both Escaflowne and Pixie Hardy for putting me on their favorite authors lists!! :-D Now, on to chapter six...  
  
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"Not cold my ass," I laughed at Jamie as we both stood in my laundry room trying to dry off, though all we were succeeding in doing was creating large puddles on the floor. "You can see those goosebumps a mile away!"  
  
He grinned and responded by shaking his head like a dog, splattering me with water drops.  
  
"Hey now!" I cried in protest, shielding myself with a white towel. Chucking it at him to dry off his hair with, I stuck my tongue out at him. "Missed," I laughed playfully. "I'm going to go to change into some dry clothes...sorry I have nothing for you to wear..." I apoligized.  
  
"Oh," he snorted, waving dismissively. "That's Ok."  
  
I winked impishly, leaving against the door frame. "I would be happy to lend you any of my clothes you wanted, but I'm not sure any of them would fit you..."  
  
"Oh, gee, thank you," Jamie smiled wryly. "But hey, it's the thought that counts, right?"  
  
I laughed and left, heading for my room.  
  
When I got there, I flicked on the light and walked inside. I flopped down on my bed and unbuckled my high-heeled boots, contemplating wheither I should shut the door or not...Jamie was smart, he would know not to just randomly walk into my room, but still...ah well, just for good measure I got up to shut it. I paused in the door way, hearing the tune of a familiar song. "Is that Green Day?" I called to Jamie.  
  
"Yeah, it's my cell!" he yelled back. "It's 'Basket Case', my new ring tone. Just downloaded it."  
  
"Sweet!" I answered back. Green Day was by far our favorite band. I then shut the door and went back to my task. Let's see, dry clothes, dry clothes...I looked around my messy room sheepishly. For several years I have been meaning to clean it up, but I kept putting it off and putting it off, and of course, naturally, it didn't get done. I dug through a pile of clothes for anything that wasn't too wrinkled. Finally finding my red Hot Topic Bad Kitty shirt, I took off my purple jacket and dropped it on my bed, then pulled off my at least partially dry black sweater, cringing in disgust as my hair crackled with static electricity. Shivering slightly with the sudden cold, I quickly squirmed into my Bad Kitty shirt. Ok, now jeans..."Yipe!"  
  
I yelped in surprise as the lights flickered off for a second, then back on, followed by a loud thunder clap. We've always had bad wiring and big storms like this usually knocked out the power. Nothing new.  
  
Finding a decient pair of jeans, I looked them over to make sure they were free of any stains or tears, then I began pulling off my fishnet tights. I felt way too vulnerable in a miniskirt...By luck or by chance, my eyes happened to roam up to my window just as lightning flashed outside, lighting up the air, quite plainly illuminating the shape of a particularly alarming shadow. Oh my God. I froze, staring at the window in disbelief. Was I just imagining things? Was Jason really standing outside my bedroom window?  
  
"Calm down, Caitie," I told myself. "You're letting him freak you out. What's in the past is in the past. Jamie chased him away the first time, and Jason knows he'll do it again. He wouldn't dare try anything like that a second time. Breathe." Taking my own advise, I took a deep breath. "He's not there, your mind's just playing tricks on you once again...Don't believe it. Look, prove it to yourself. Just go look out the window and prove he's not there, just do it." I took one timid step forward. "C'mon, Caitie, just do it..." But I couldn't. I just got the most overwhelming feeling of uneasiness...  
  
Instead, I plastered myself against the wall, inching my way along until I was within arms length of the forboding window...as quickly as i could, I reached out and grabbed the white cord that hung down from my purple curtains, yanking it and drawing shut the drapes. Breathing heavily, trying to calm my shaking hands, I waited there for a moment, then sprinted to the opposite side of the room and speed changed into my jeans. (Not wanting to be caught for one second in just my underwear, I pulled my pants on underneath my skirt first, then pulled the skirt off over them.) Buttoning and zipping my jeans, I paused for a second, thinking I heard some sort of noise coming from my window, then, not even bothering to find out what it was, I nearly flew out of my room and into the hall, shutting the door behind me. "Jamie?" I called, needing to be in the comforting company of another person. "Jamie?" No answer. I walked into my kitchen, looking around worriedly. "Hello-o?" My attention suddenly snapped up to the doorway leading to the living room where I could hear Jamie mumbling something. "Jamie...?" I called again softly, pushing open the swinging door.  
  
Jamie was lying stretched out on my couch, his back towards me, still talking on his cell phone. "Look, I'm sorry..." he spoke in a low tone. "It was an emergency......One of my friends, she had a really big problem and really needed my help.....yes, 'she'........no...no, God...Look, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. The only reason I was planning to come was to tell you enough is enough...no......I'm sorry, but it's just more trouble then it's worth..." He paused for a second. ".....Ok...." A longer pause. "No......well.....I might have, I don't really know right now..."  
  
Before I knew what I was doing, the words were already out of my mouth. "Don't know what?"  
  
Jamie nearly fell off the couch, he spun around so fast. "Oh, ah...ah, I'm sorry, I really gotta go now...good-bye." His cell phone beeped once as he pressed the "end call" button and snapped it shut. "Oh, uh, I wasn't quite sure if...well...see, that was..." he stammered, looking down at his mobil phone which he was fingering nervously, his ears a bright pink colour.  
  
But I didn't care what he had been talking about or who he had been talking to. Just the fact that he had dropped everything he was doing, that he had blown off meeting with somebody, maybe someone important, just to help me...My God, he was really worried about me! He really cared about me...I had always been the rebel, the outcast, I've never felt anyone really *knew* me...I did consider Val to be my best and closest friend, but still, she only saw the rebellious outer shell I allowed her to...but Jamie...It seemed that no matter what front I put up, Jamie could see right through them. But he didn't care about them. He cared about me. He knew exactly what he had to do to cheer me up, which I was so thankful for.  
  
My livingroom suddenly a misty blur, I looked up at the ceiling, trying to rid my eyes of the hot tears that threatened to spill out yet again.  
  
"What?" Jamie asked. "What is it now?"  
  
Giving in, I fell to my knees on the beige carpet, the tears streaming freely down my cheeks. "I...I realize now all that you've done for me...not only getting in a fist fight, giving me a ride home in a freezing cold thunderstorm, and staying here just because I was paranoid of a little shadow, but also because you completely pushed aside all your plans, everything, just to help me..." I sniffled and looked down at the floor, blushing deeply. I brushed a strand of my hair back behind my ear. "I...I feel like I don't deserve it..." I glanced up expectantly at Jamie, and he looked back at me almost sadly.  
  
"Caitie..." Setting his cell phone on the coffee table, he slid off the couch and sat down in frong of me. "After what you just had to go through...you deserve so much *more*..."  
  
"But it was my fault! I deserve more than what happened! I was so stupid, I deserved to get raped!" I collapsed into his arms, hugging him tightly as I cried the hardest I've ever cried before.  
  
"No, Caitie!" I said sternly, squeezing me back. "You've got to stop thinking that way! You don't deserve it, you tried your best to fight him off. And you should be thankful he didn't get what he wanted..."  
  
"But he's come back to get it!" I sobbed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"While I was changing, I could have sworn I saw him outside my window..." I pulled away from Jamie and wiped my eyes with the inside of me sleeve. "Then again, I was probably just imagining it..."  
  
He timidly reached over and laid his hand over mine. "It...It wasn't you he threatened..." he said softly.  
  
I didn't respond, still staring down at the ground. My right hand, where he was touching me, felt cold and uncomfortable and I withdrew it from his grasp, resting it on my lap. "It should have been," I muttered darkly.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes, Jamie!" All this is my fault! It's about time I started taking responsibility for it. I can't keep having you fight my battles for me! I just can't...None of this has anything to do with you, you shouldn't be forced to suffer through it! Please leave, just leave me here alone to deal with him. You've done more than enough, please...just go. Let him break in here and have his way with me, it's my 'just desserts'."  
  
"Caitieeeee!" He threw back his head in exasperation. "Caitie! You deserve nothing like that! He's not here and he's not planning any secret revenge! That was just an empty threat not even directed toward you that you have absolutely nothing to worry about." He sighed and screatched his head, a little above and to the right of his left ear, the way he always did when he felt nervous. "If you want, I can ever prove it by looking around out there..."  
  
Thunder rumbled, a litle softer than before as the eye of the storm was passing over us, giving us a short momentary break from the heavy downpoor. The wind could be heard whistling through the branches of the trees, driving the rain drops almost horizontally into the glass of the two large sliding doors which took up nearly the whole side wall of my three and a half walled living room. "Oh, no," I quickly refused. "You can't go back out there in this kind of weather...Not even Jason is that stupid. Like I said before, I was probably just imagining it, it's ok."  
  
Jamie shrugged. "So I won't go outside. I'll just look around through the windows if it'll make you feel better."  
  
"You don't have to..."  
  
"He shrugged again, got up, and ambled off in the direction of my room.  
  
I sighed and shook my head, not sure what exactly I should be thinking or doing at the moment. All of today's events had left me completely drained, both emotionally and physically. I was so tired, my brain just refused to work. It was all I could do to pull myself off the floor and onto the couch where I flopped down wearlilly and stared off into space, not really thinking about anything.  
  
*Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep BeepBeep*  
  
Recognizing the tune of "mOBSCENE" by Marilyn Manson, I looked up and glanced around. Jamie's cell phone was ringing, the blue "incoming call" light flashing on and off. Marilyn Manson? When did he change his ring tone again? Hadn't it just been Green Day before? Too lazy to ponder it anymore, I shrugged dismissively. "Hey, Jamie, your cell's ringing!" I yelled at him. No answer. Suddenly curious, I decided it wouldn't hurt to take a peak at who had called. I mean, if it was an emergency from someone on the EMT squad, she should know about it right away, shouldn't he? I reached over and picked the black phone up. Though whover had been trying to reach him had hung up a lon gitme ago, the light was still flashing, indicating that the person had left a message. Flipping open the top, I read the LCD:  
  
Voicemail: 0 Text Messages: 1  
  
Oh. So "mOBSCENE" was his incoming text message ringer. That made sense. I pressed Ok and checked to see who had sent it. It was some strange cell phone number that I didn't recognize. I pressed Ok again and opened the message.  
  
"Jamie, out little plan was going perfectly. Why did you ruin it?"  
  
My breath caught in my throat. Who had sent this to him? Plan? What plan? Who was 453-4155? It couldn't be Jason, could it? No, no, of course not. Why would Jason have Jamie's cell phone number? What on earth would they plan together? It wasn't like they were friends or anything. They hated eachother. My mind drifted back to the day's previous events. Jamie and Jason had always been at eachother's throats. Pure enemies...but it all could have been a ploy, an act...Were Jamie and Jason working together? Was everyone in a conspiracy against me to rid me of not only my virginity, but also my dignity, my self-respect? My head was swimming trying to figure this all out! What was going on?! I was so confused! Was Jamie really against me?  
  
I looked behind me at the empty hallway where Jamie had disappeared to. What was he doing? Oh well, who cares. He was gone, busy, leaving me witht he perfect chance to escape. I had to leave, had to get out of here. There was no one I could trust anymore.  
  
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* A/N: Sixth chapter completed ^-^ Once again, I'm very sorry about the delay ^^; Reading over this again, I realize it sounds a lot like the movie Scream ^^; I must have been subconciously thinking about it while writing it...anyway, please R/R, it's greatly appreciated :) 


	7. Shattered Glass

A/N: Wow! It's been a whole month since I last updated this! ^^;; God, I'm sorry!!! It's just that this was a really long chapter, and with finals and the end of school approaching I didn't have much time to write. But now that school is over I should have a lot more time on my hands to play around with ^_^ There's a little bit of Jamie/Caitie fluff in here just to wet your appities till later :P Thank you for all your reviews! They mean a lot ^__^ Anyway, on to the chapter...  
  
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Have to leave! Escape! Quickly! Get out of here! Hurry! Before Jamie returns! Random words of urgency zipped through my mind as I dumbly looked around, not sure what to do first. "Calm down, Caitie," I commanded myself. I needed a coat and shoes. That was all. Easy enough. I could run to Val's house. She didn't live too far away, and she was still my friend...unless she was in on this too...! Oh God, what if she was?! She was the one who told me Jason wanted to ask me out in the first place...! I was truly alone! Oh well, what did it matter? If I could make it out of this house, I could just run away. Eventually I'd find somewhere to go, right? What about Brianne? She was definantly on my side. Thought she lived all the way on the other side of town, it would be worth the long walk. It was somewhere to go. perfect. Now back to the problem at hand.  
  
"Coat, coat, coat..." I muttered to myself as I threw open the closet door. I snagged a heavy black one and hurriedly put it on. Now shoes. I couldn't risk going to my room to get a pair. Jamie might get suspicious. If I was lucky, there'd be one left in the closet...I got down on my hands and knees and groped around blindly underneath the long ends of the many coats and jackets jammed in there. Finally my fingers closed around the cloth surface of what could only be shoes of some sort. I pulled them out and smiled in relief. They were my old "Chuck Jones" styles... a little worn, but perfect for my purpose. I tried untying the laces, but the stupid shoes were tightly double-knotted! Dang it! I tried slipping them on without untying them, but they just wouldn't fit. Shoot! I had to hurry, had to get the knots out quickly! C'mon Caitie! I urged myself to go faster as my fingers fumbled with the tiny knot. Come on! Hurry up! Any second now Jamie would...  
  
"Going somewhere?"  
  
I nearly jumped ten feet in the air as Jamie's voice suddenly cut through the silence and my clouded thoughts. But he didn't sound angry or threatening or anything like that. Instead, he sounded curious, confused.  
  
I spun around to face him and he greeted me with his usual lop-sided smile. The smile I had come to know, need, and indeed depend on...How could he do this to me? Tears blurring my vision, I watched him like a hawk, all tensed up and ready to run as he approached me.  
  
"...what?" he asked, looking over his shoulder, wondering what I was staring at so intently.  
  
I decided it would be best to play it cool, so trying my best to act normal, I stood up and took off the coat, hanging it on the closet door knob. "Erm, nothing, never mind..."  
  
"Oookay..." he shrugged.  
  
"You...you and Jason...aren't friends...are you?" I ventured.  
  
Jamie looked at me as if I'd gone completely insane. "Jason Rendleman? That faggot? You're kidding, right? Why the heck would I want to be friends with him?"  
  
I adverted my gaze for a second, judging the distance between myself and the sliding glass doors that led out from my living room to the back porch. "Oh, nothing, no reason, just wondering..." I began inching towards the door in what I hoped was an unobtrusive manner. I would turn around and walk towards the door four steps, then spin around and walk back three, acting like I was pacing back and forth. "So, ah, you find anything out there?" I asked.  
  
"Nope. Nothing's there. The wind and rain is starting to pick up again. Anybody who so much as thinks about going outside in this weather should be put in a mental hospital," he answered, shrugging.  
  
"Ah..." I continued taking tiny unnoticable backward steps.  
  
Looking at Jamie's dark brown eyes, I watched them focus on me and my awkward movements, then away from me, behind me, over my shoulder. I followed his gaze to the oak coffee table where I had carelessly left his cellphone open. A look of confusion crossed his features and I froze in my tracks. I backed up a step out of nervousness as hestarted forward, walking to it and picking it up.  
  
Stupid me! Why didn't I delete the message or at least close it? He would know now. He would know that I knew, that I was on to him and his little scheme. He might try something. Out of desparation he might try some last desparate attack...I was a good six feet from the door...If worse came to worse, I could easilly make a run for it. Would he be able to catch me before I made it out the door? Probably not, as long as the door wasn't locked...  
  
My eyes fell upon the silver handle and the silver lock above it. The little latch was tilted all the way to the left. Locked. Shoot! I began slowly but surely making my way towards it again as Jamie picked up his phone and looked at the LCD.  
  
Little b little the distance between myself and the way out decreased...four feet...three...two more, just two last feet! Would Jamie notice if I took one last big step?  
  
"Oh, God..." he muttered as he read the mysterious text message. He seemed preoccupied with that...I decided to chance it. Never taking my eyes off him, as subtley as I could, I slowly stretched my right leg out and eased myself over until my back was directly in front of the door knob.  
  
I studied Jamie worriedly, but he never looked up. His eyes were glued to his cell phone and his face had a pale tinge to it.  
  
With pain staking slowness I brought my arms up behind me and began feeling around for the lock.  
  
"Oh, God...Caitie...you didn't..."  
  
I stopped when Jamie looked at me, alarmed. Once again, I tried to play it cool and quickly put on an ignorant facade. "Erm...didn't, ah, didn't do what?" I stammered. I nearly cursed aloud as I felt my fingertips brush against the smooth underside of the lock. God, it was *just* out of reach!  
  
"Oh, oh, Caitie, it...it's not what you think! I...I can explain everything...!"  
  
"You don't have to, I'm not stupid." I glared at him a look of hurt and distrust, then quickly about-faced and unlatched the lock. But Jamie was on me in a flash, before I could get the door open.  
  
"Caitie, stop!" he yelled.  
  
"Let go of me!" I screamed back as he wrenched my hands from the door handle and wormed his way between me and the glass.  
  
"Stop it!" He caught both my wrists in his strong grip and held them tightly. "Caitie! Really, it's not what you think! Honestly, if you'd just let me explain!"  
  
"I already told you, I already know!"  
  
"But you don't! Look, I swear it wasn't Jason who sent that message, really, it wasn't!"  
  
"Don't lie to me," I snarled bitterly as I struggled to escape his grasp. "You don't have to 'act' anymore! I'm not stupid!" I finally managed to twist my right arm free. "I said let GO!" I slapped him hard across the face, catching him off guard and stunning him just catching him off guard and stunning him just long enough to yank my other arm from his. I rubbed at the red marks that his fingers had left as I backed away. Tears found their ways out of the corners of my eyes as I glared angrilly and hurtfully at him. "God, I trusted you! Damn it, Jamie, I trusted you! Why are you doing this?! Why is everyone out to get me?!"  
  
"No, Caitie-!"  
  
"Stay away from me!" I snapped at him, backing away further as he took a step forward. "I hate you! I HATE you! Why?! Why me?! GOD!" My head felt like it was going to explode. Everything was happening so quickly, so unexpectedly, my brain just couldn't take it anymore. Sobbing hopelessly, I bitterly turned my back to him, once again wishing fruitlessly that this could all be a dream, a horrible nightmare I could simply wake up from and completely forget about the next day.  
  
"Caitie...Please..." I didn't move as he quietly approached me. "No one's against you, calm down..." I felt his hands gently find resting places on either side of my waist. "Really, Caitie." He spun me around to face him and I quickly covered my embarassingly red, puffy eyes. "Everything's going to be alright." I didn't pull away as his hands left my hips and circled around me, meeting together in the small of my back, and I didn't resist when he pulled me closer to him. Instead I melted. I just melted at his inviting words and warm embrace. I wanted to trust Jamie, I really really did, more than anhthign else in the world...Not sure what else to do, I burried my face in his neck, underneath his chin, and just cried. He gave me a little squeeze and kissed the top of my head ever so softly. "Shh, it's Ok," he whispered.  
  
We stood in silence for a while, which was broken by the occasional sob, until I felt a little better. Sniffling, I spoke, "Just tell me, was val a part of this plan?" Jamie didn't say anything. I smiled ruefully. "I knew it. My two best friends, the two people i thought I would always be able to count on, who would never let me down...just did. Shows you just how many people you can trust these days. The two closest people to me were viciously plotting together against me this whole time. And I'm sitting hjere hugging one of them." I chuckled slightly to myself. "It's kinda funny once you think about it." I had cracked. All the stresses of the situation had finally gotten to me. "Well, you got me. I'm obviously not going anywhere. Go ahead, do anything you want to me. Whatever you like, rape me, kill me, both, whatever floats your boat. I really don't care anymore." He pushed me away from him and forced me to look up at him, but I only smiled apathetically and shrugged. "I'm all yours."  
  
Jamie stared at me disbelievingly for a moment before quickly shaking his head. "Oh no, Caitie, don't say that!" He grasped both my hands in his and shook them once firmly. "I *swear*, Caitie, Jason did *not* send me that message, I promise!"  
  
"And what about this whole plan thing?" I asked nonchalently.  
  
"That plan..." He shook his head resentfully. "It's a plan I'm ashamed to have been a part of, but one that didn't involve you, Val, or Jason. Really, it was just me and...and somebody else."  
  
I gazed longlingly in his rich brown eyes, searching desparately for any unfamiliar gling that would give his lies away...but there was none. My spirits rose with the tiny glimmer of hope. Was Jamie really telling the truth or was it all a big lie...? He looked so hopeful, so regretful...Jamie was all I had at the moment and even if his sincerity was fake, I didn't really care. I just needed someone to be with, I just wanted to believe that there was one thing about this night that I could be happy about.  
  
"Caitie, I promise..."  
  
I smiled meekly. "Really?"  
  
A look of relief flooded his features. "Of course! I would never ever want to hurt you in anyway..." His voice tapered off and there was an awkward period of silence between us, which was broken by the sudden and startling roll of thunder.  
  
Involuntary shivers ran up and down my spine as bright lightning flashed outside. Thunder storms have always scared me to death, ever since I was a little girl and a tornado had left a hole in our roof, right above my bedroom. Granted it didn't do any more damage to the house, and the hole was a bit on the small side, but still, if you were as young as I was back then, you could understand how shaken up I was. I had never told Jamie about this fear, only Val, but he didn't seem to notice my restless figiting, he was too busy staring down at the floor, his cheeks flushed.  
  
"Erm...so..." I felt uneasy in the stillness just listening to the unnerving pitter-pattering of the rain.  
  
Jamie flipped open his cell phone which he fished out of his pocket and began dialing a number.  
  
"Who...who are you calling now?" I eyed him warily.  
  
"Val," he anwered shortly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"To see if she can come over and stay with you."  
  
"You're leaving?"  
  
"Well, it is eleven o'clock..."  
  
"Oh...well, i wouldn't mind...no, no, you're right. You've already done more than enough for me, and it is getting really late. You shouldn't be forced to stay here if you don't want to, although...I wouldn kinda prefer it if...if you did..." I picked at my short nails embarassedly.  
  
"You...you want me to sleep over?"  
  
"I...I..." I realized the awkwardness of what I was asking and blushed to the roots of my dark brown hair. "I wouldn't mind...I mean, not *that* way," I smiled wryly at him.  
  
He laughed and nodded, closing his phone.  
  
My cheeks still pink, I flinched slightly at another roll of thunder and left his side, walking over to the small 24" television set and picking up the black remote from the bottom shelf of its stand. "You wana watch TV?" I offered, desparately needing a distraction to take my mind off the storm.  
  
"Sure," he shrugged. I pressed the on button and he flopped down on the couch, motioning for me to sit down next to him. I did and began flipping though the channels.  
  
"There's nothing on this late at night..." I muttered, scanning through our favourite channels. my finger froze when I reached the local station. Across the bottom of the screen was a small outlining of Kingsport and the surrounding area. Our county was coloured orange. Words scrolling by in the same colour stated "...Counties in orange have been issued a tornado watch untill 1 o'clock AM..." My blood turned to ice. A tornado watch? We had a tornado watch? i couldn't help but scoot a little closer to Jamie. no, no, please not a tornado watch...But Jamie simply removed the remote from my hand and switched the channel to ENCORE where my favourite move of all time was playing; Rat Race. It was near the beginning, too. It wasn't long before I was laughing out loud at the crazy antics of Seth Green and Cuba Gooding Jr. I had probably seen this film over a hundred times but I still wasn't tired of it.  
  
Jamie casually laid his arm around my shoulders and I leaned even closer to him as the movie went on.  
  
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You...should...have...bought...a...squirrel!  
  
Just as Whoopie Goldberg's car flew off the edge of the cliff, the TV changed. Instead of the pile of broken cars where she was supposed to land which was the next scene of the movie, the screen turned a solid green colour and the scratch voice of a woman began to speak: "This just in from the First Warn Weather Alert. A funnel-shaped cloud has been spotted just north of Kingsport. Windspeeds exceede 65 miles per hour and it is traveling in a south easterly fasion. If you are in the path of this tornado, please seek shelter immediately. I repeat, please seek shelter immediately. This is not a test. Thank you." Rat Race flickered back on, but it was completely forgotten. A tornado! Oh God, not a tornado! Not another one! Please, please no...!  
  
"Well..." Jamie removed his arm from around me and stretched, cracking his knuckles. "That'd be us. To the basement we go. C'mon." He rose to his feet and helf out his hand to help me up.  
  
My eyes darted back and fourth between him and the lightning that kept flashing outside the window. How could he be so calm?!  
  
He smiled at my hesitiation. "Don't be woried. It probably won't even hit us. Think about it, when was the last time we had tornado damage here? Sixty, seventy years ago? We probably don't have much to be concerned about."  
  
"Then why are we going downstairs?"  
  
"Well...just to be safe. You know, better safe than sorry and all that. C'mon."  
  
I accepted his hand and just as he pulled me up, the electricity went out, plunging us both in total darkness aside from the eerie sparks of lighting. I yelped and wrapped my arms tightly around his middle, trembling violently.  
  
"God, Jamie..." I wimpered, my face burried in the folds of his shirt.  
  
"Come on, the power just went out, that's all. Nothing too big. You got a flashlight anywhere?"  
  
"Yeah." I nodded, even though I was nearly invisible in the pitch- blackness. "In the top right drawer of the kitchen counter." My voice had a shakey waver to it that i couldn't control. I was ashamed at the way I was handling this whole ordeal, but I couldn't help it, I was terrified.  
  
Jamie tried to take a step forward, but I refused to release him. "Caitie, please, I'm just going to get the flashlight."  
  
I knew this, but I couldn't let him go, I just couldn't. As silly as it sounded, I was really afraid I'd lose him in teh blinding darkness; I was afraid of being alone.  
  
"Caitie..." I still clutched child-like to his shirt. "It's ok, I'll be right back." He gave me a little one-armed hug before gently prying my hands off him and melting away into the shadows. Still reluctat to give him up, I reached out after him, but my fingers only closed around air. Finally relenting, I eased down to the floor and sat on the step of the sunken livingroom, crossing my arms over my chest nervously.  
  
There was silence for a while, then the creaking of the swinging kitchen door and a muffled "ow" as Jamie nearly tripped over something. Then more stillness. Thunder rumbled gain and I hugged my knees to my chest. The placidness was killing me. I could feel my heart beginning to beat faster, filling my ears until it was all I could hear. "J...Jamie?" I stammered. No answer. My eyes wide open, I looked around wildly, desparately trying to make out one tiny familiar shape that would remind me of my surroundings. "Ja-mie?" I called again. Still nothing. The sound of the clock ticking above the mantle seemed to grow louder and slower, echoing around in my head, nearly driving me insane. My heart racing, I tried again. "Jamie!"  
  
Finally his voice came faint but comforting. "What?"  
  
I strained vainly to see in the pitch blackness. SOmething was behind me, something was there, I knew it! "Jamie! Jamie, where are you?!"  
  
There was a pause, then, "I'm in the kitchen lookin' for the flashlight."  
  
My pulse was racing so fast there was barely a distinguishable pause in between each beat. "Jamie! Jamie, hurry up! Please hurry up!" I wailed. Something thumped against the window and I curled myself up into the smallest position I could and still breathe. Hurry Jamie! Come on! I mentally urged him. Something clanked again outside and a choked squeal escaped my throat. "JAMIE!" I nearly screamed. Someone was there! It was Jason, it had to be! Jason was here, he was going to kill me! Oh God! "JAMIE! JAM-"  
  
I stopped as a narrow beam of light fell on me. Relief flooded my body as I looked up at Jamie's smiling face, heavily shadowed from the flashlight. I scrambled to my feet, nearly tripping over the step, and fell into his arms. "Jason's here! Jason's here!" I sobbed into his shirt.  
  
But he only sighed. "Come on." He ushered me towards the basement door. With the flashlight's rays to guide us, we made it down the creaky wooden stairs. My parent's bedroom was down there in the half finished downstairs. I found a book of matches on the dresser and lit the four chocolate-smelling candles before flopping down on the rose coloured bedspread as Jamie made his way towards my mom's battery powered CD player/radio clock. He began flipping though the small wallet of CD's left on the nightstand. Grinning, he selected one, which he wouldn't let me see, and put it in the player, pressing play.  
  
I couldn't help but grin too at the familiar tune. Jamie knew just what to do to cheer me up in a situation like this. The CD was Green Day's Nimrod and the song was "King For A Day." That song always made me laugh. It wasn't long before we were both singing along to the funny lyrics.  
  
"Just wait till all the guys...Just wait till all the guys! Just wait till all the guys get a load of me!"  
  
Just then from upstairs came the bone chilling sound of breaking glass.  
  
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A/N: Ho hum, my pathetic attempt at a cliff hanger, eh? Well, please R/R :) Oh, and one question, Montana Magic offered to be my Beta reader...erm...what exactly is a beta reader? ^^;;; Yeah, I'm pretty dumb lol ^^;; Thanks a bunch to anyone who can tell me :P 


	8. Battle Royal part one

A/N: Ohiyo Gasaimas! ^_^ Well, once again I'm sorry it took a while for me to update this fic again, but I think the marjority of you can understand me when I say I was a bit preoccupied with a certain book that came out the 21st :D Yupyup! Harry Potter ^_^ It was great! Too bad about...well, I won't spoil it for those who haven't read it yet...about the person who died...well, just's long as it wasn't my Percy! .:huggles him:. Yes yes, he was a bit pricky in this new book, but I'm sure he'll come around in the next one .:pats his head:. Anyway, my head's still with Harry Potter, so sorry if this chapter comes out a bit British-y lol Well, I had to split this chapter up into two separate ones as this was going to be a rather long chapter that would have taken me some time to write, and I know how all you get when I don't update in a while ^^;; So, here's the first half:  
  
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I bolted upright on the bed. "What was that?" I asked, my eyes wide.  
  
Jamie quickly jumped off the armchair he had been sitting on and turned off the CD player. We both strained our hearing for any tiny sign that would distinguish weither it had been a tornado or Jason that had broken the glass, but all was silent. Jamie gulped. "I...Idon't know," he finally whispered, his voice hoarse. Jamie was scared. Though he tried not to let it show, I could tell deep inside he was just as frightened as I was.  
  
"Is it a tornado?"  
  
"...I don't know," he repeated, slowly and quietly inching his way towards the bedroom door, the flashlight in hand.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"To see what that was."  
  
"Jamie!" I squealed. "But...but...but what if it's...*him*?"  
  
"So?" he shrugged boldly. "I can take him. I did before, didn't I? Besides, I really don't think he would go *thisd* far just for...well, *that*." He reached the wooden steps and paused for a moment at the bottom, though the only audiable sound was the constant pattering of rain.  
  
"Oh, God! Please don't let it be Jason!" I whimpered to myself, pulling the pink bedspread up over my head and rocking back and forth insanely. "Please don't let it be him! Not Jason, anything but Jason! Please, please, *please*, God...!"  
  
Jamie looked back at me a moment, his eyes narrowed and determined, before he turned and began carefully ascending the stairs, always stepping in the exact center where the wooden supports running underneath would keep it from creaking. With painstaking slowness he took one small step at a time, stopping at each on to listen for any unusual noises.  
  
I sniffled and rubbed my eyes with the corner of the blanket. This wasn't right. Clenching my hands into fists to give me the strength I so badly needed, I stretched out my legs and slid off the bed. Taking a deep breath, I hurriedly tip-toed out of the carpeted bedroom and across the tiled floor to the foot of the staircase. "Jamie!" I whispered up to him as quietly as I could. "Jamie, wait for me!"  
  
He turned around and shined the flashlight beam down on me. "No, stay here, Caitie," he mouthed, motioning for me to go back, but I shook my head.  
  
I wouldn't hear of it. It wouldn't be right to just sit back and let Jamie do all the protecting and risk-taking. I wasn't helpless and I had to prove this to both him and myself. Taking the steps as cautiously as he had, he waitied for me to catch up to him and caught my hand in his. "You really should just stay down here..." he whispered reluctantly.  
  
"I'll be fine," I refused. "Come on."  
  
Still holding my hand, he led me up the remaining stairs and pulled me closer to him as we reached the closed door at the top. His right hand now lightly resting around my waist, he motioned for me to be quiet with his left as in one quick movement he flicked the flashlight off, leaving us both in the suffocating blackness.  
  
I inhaled sharply and instinctively clung to his shirt, but hsi strong breif squeeze helped to calm my nerves and ease my tense muscles. Gradually my eyes were getting used to the dark and I could make out Jamie's hand twisting the door knob and pushing it open.  
  
My breath caught in my throat. They few seconds we were standing there motionless seemed like eternity. We didn't dare move anything but our eyes as we surveyed the area, looking for any possible causes of the broken glass. We had a perfect view of the livingroom and most of the kitchen from our position at the top of the stairwell. The long beige curtains that covered the sliding glass door were billowing in and out as if ghosts and other unsees creatures were playing behind it. The window was obviously missing, so that's what had broken...but had it been a tornado or Jason?  
  
Ok, Ok, I thought to myself. Think rationally. With Jamie still attempting to hold me back, I tried to worm my way forward to get a better look. Was there glass on the ground? I couldn't tell. Ok, Caitie, think, I commanded. Tornadoes were suction, right? So if it was a tornado the glass pieces would be on the outside, but if it was...someone breaking in, they would of course be on the inside. But what if it was something picked up by high winds and thrown into the window? As far as I could tell there was no debris on the ground...Oh, I didn't know! The only sure thing was that there was no one here.  
  
Letting out the breath he had been holding, Jamie removed his arm from around me and stepped further out into the open, clicking the flashlight back on. He shined it aroudn the livingroom, then in the kitchen and down the hallway that led to the bathroom, office, and my bedroom. Finding nothing, he gestured to me that it was ok to come on out and started for the broken window.  
  
Not sure what to do, I stood my ground for a moment longer, still praying to God that it wasn't Jason, before following Jamie into the livingroom.  
  
"Careful," he warned as I approached him.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
His eyes glanced at my stocking feet, and I followed his gaze downward to the carpet which was now soaked with rain, where millions of tiny splinters of glass glinted spitefully from the worn fibers. I choked on my own saliva and coughed a few times to clear my throat, an "Oh God!" escaping my lips.  
  
Jamie pulled the curtain aside revieling the shattered window. What had once been a solid single pane was now almost completely gone, lying in uncountable shards on the ground, a few jagged pieces still attatched to the metal frame. "...I don't think it was a tornado..." he muttered.  
  
My blood ran cold as goosebumps rippled across my pale flesh, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. My voice lost, I turned away from him and walked back towards the kitchen. I stopped on the step of the sunken livingroom and crossed my arms over my chest, my whole body trembling slightly.  
  
"...I have no idea what could have done this," he tried to comfort me, but I only laughed bitterly.  
  
"Don't lie," I shook my head. He didn't respond, so I opened my mouth to say more...but I couldn't. I tried to talk...but I simply...couldn't. What was happening didn't register at first, but when it did, I sure as hell panicked. I couldn't speak because something was covering my mouth, and that something was unmistakeably a human hand. What the hell was going on!? Who was doing this to me?! Was it Jason? Oh, God, it had to be! Oh, God, Oh, God, it was Jason! I tried to scream, but he had my mouth sealed air tight and my nose pinched completely shut. My ears popped witht he tremendous pressure I was putting on them, but i still couldn't make a sound, couldn't alert Jamie to the urgency of my plight.  
  
"I...Ok, so maybe it might have been Jason..." Jamie spoke as if nothing was happening. Where was he? I couldn't see him and he obviously couldn't see me.  
  
Jamie! Jamie, help me! I mentally yelled at him. Turn around! Stop whatever it is you're doing and look! Please! My chest was aching. I couldn't breath! I tried to pry his hand off my face, but that was like trying to rip apart two pieces of welded metal. Where was Jamie?! I needed help! Air! Air! My lungs burned for the oxygen that wasn't there. Jamie, please! I stomped my feet in hopes to catch Jamie's attention but the stupid rug was muffling the sound and the force behind my blows slowly dwindled as the lack of air was beginning to make me light headed and dizzy.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry...he's after me, and if I hadn't have stayed, none of this would have happened," Jamie continued.  
  
No! No! Forget the apologies! If he didn't help me soon, i would die. I would gradually suffocate until my lungs collapsed and my whole body completely shut down.  
  
"Maybe I should leave...I'll get Val to come over, you'll be ok...He'll probably follow me away...it'll be fine..." Jamie continued rambling on. Just then the lamps flickered back to life, as did the TV and the beloved Rat Race.  
  
Startled by the sudden and unexpected turn of events, my captro released his hold on my mouth, instead wrapping his arm around my neck in a ehad lock as he twisted around to face Jamie, dragging me along with him. Gasping for the breaths I had been so wrongly deprived of, I slumped weakly in his grasp, no longer fighting against him. Brightly coloured starbursts paraded in front of my eyes as I glanced downward. There were no mistaking the pair of black cargo pants and canvas Chucks of the person standing behind me.  
  
As I had gathered, Jamie was standing with his back towards us, staring at the TV. "Hey, well, the power's back on," he anounced, turning around. Never in a million years could I ever find the words to fully describe Jamie's face and do it any justice. His skin was a pasty grey and his expression was a mixture of surprise, panic, confusion, terror, and helplessness as he stared open-mouthed. "C...Caitie, Jason..!" His eyes kept darting back and forth between the two of us.  
  
Jason backed up a couple of steps, pulling me in front of him. "Stay away from me, Waite! Or...or she'll get it!" he stammered.  
  
"Jason...please..." Jamie slowly approached him, his hands spread wide open and trembling slightly. "Please...just put the knife down..."  
  
Knife? What? He had a knife?! Now that he mentioned it, I did feel somethign poking me in the back through my T-shirt. Oh my God! It was one thing to get beat up or roughed around or even raped...but murder was a whole separate deal entirely! Death? No, no! I was too young to die! Not yet! No! A whimpering wail rose from my throat and Jason tightened his hold on my neck. He was pressing my Adam's apple painfully against my esophagus, making my breathing irregular and ragged. "Please!" I croaked. "I don't care anymore. Rape me if you want, whatever, just please, *please* don't kill me..!"  
  
"Ha ha!" I winced as Jason's malicious laughter filled my ears. "Coward!" He snorted, jamming the knife tip harder into me, forcing me to arch my back in pain, met with more of his devilish snickering. "Oh, don't worry my Precious...Stay back, you!" he snarled at Jamie before turning back to me. "Oh, I wasn't going to *kill* you...that's a bit *far,* don't you think?" His sinister voice hissed in my ear. "Oh, no, certainly not *kill*...*Hurt*? *Maime*, maybe? Does *pain*," he emphisiszed the word with a twist of the knife and I let out a small yelp, "sound good to you?"  
  
"Stop it!" Jamie shouted, determinedly. "Let her go!"  
  
"Oh ho, you'd like that, wouldn't you?"  
  
"*Why* are you doing this to her?! What did Caitie *ever* do to you?!"  
  
"Hmm, let's see..." He made a big show out of removing the knife from my back and drumming its tip lightly on his lower lip as he seemed to be searching for the right words to say. "Well," he finally spoke. "It's...well, *she's* not really the main person whome I'm...well, whome I'm trying to make miserable..." The knife returned to its former position. "Though she is a nice bonus," he added as an afterthought, as though that made it a great deal.  
  
"You mean you're doing all this just to get back at me?" Jamie looked at him increadulusly.  
  
His expression now dark and threateneing, Jason glared back. "THINK about what you did. You can't honestly tell me you don't deserve it."  
  
"If you're still mad about me beating you up int he alley way and ruining your chance to score with Caitie, then-"  
  
"That's not what i'm referring to and you know it!"  
  
The incredulus look on Jamie's face quickly turned into a bemused one. Really, I don't know what else you could be pissed at me for, but whatever it is, take it out with me, not her. She doesn't deserve your...your...your methods of torture."  
  
A slow smile snaked across his lips as he repeated Jamie's last word. "Torture...I like that terminology, James."  
  
Jamie's hands were clenched so tightly into fists that his knuckles were turning white, his eyes narrowed.  
  
Jason let out a small sigh and looked at Jamie disappointedly as though he had just ruined all his fun. "Fine," he said, reluctantly. "Take your little girl." He released me and shoved me down towards Jamie's feet. I landed on my side, my head missing the corner of the couch's wooden armrest by a centieter. I quickly scrambled to my feet and scuttled behind Jamie, gripping his right arm firmly. From here I could see the weapon Jason so valiantly brandished in his right hand. It was one of those huge longe machetti-looking kitchen knives, like the one Michael Meyers always carried around with him in all the Halloween movies.  
  
"Well, James?" Jason held his arms out as if expecting Jamie to give him a big hug. "I'm waiting."  
  
"For...?" Jamie questioned, though I thought it was pretty obvious what he wanted.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
Jamie didn't move from his position, trying to figure out the best way to handle the situation.  
  
"Aw, what's the matter? Got your little girl back so you gonna wimp out now? Is widdle Jamie scared of the big bad bully, Jason?" His voice dripped challenging sarcasm. Though I did feel Jamie stiffen beside me, he still refused to move. "Come on," Jason said, dropping the baby voice. "Weither you want to or not, you're gonna pay for every ounce of pain you've ever caused Bobbi."  
  
"What? Bobbi? Who? Bobbi 'the Bullet'?" Jamie stuttered. "What's this gotta do with her?!"  
  
"You hurt her SO much!"  
  
"W-what?!" was all he could spit out.  
  
"You heard me. And now you're gonna pay." Beofre I knew what was happening, Jason grabbed Jamie by the collar of his shirt, ripped him away from my grasp, and threw him down on the floor, jumping down after him.  
  
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A/N: And that's where I decided to split the chapter in half ^_^ Please R/R! Thanks a bunch! And one more question, does anyone know what Angst means? ^^;; I know, I know, I'm...misinformed ;) Thanks! 


	9. Battle Royal part two

A/N: Yes, I have changed my pen name from Bebop Bounty Huntress to Doppleganger, as I've decided Marilyn Manson means more to me than Cowboy Bebop. I will leave the 'aka Bebop B.H.' at the end for a while until everyone can get used to the change, then it'll just be plain Doppleganger. Or should it be Doppleherz? Which one do you think sounds better? But we are one in the same person, so please, no one else E-mail me claiming I stole Bebop Bounty Huntress's story ^^;; Anyway, was the cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter really that unbearable? I didn't think it was so bad, but then I guess that's because I know what happens next...ho hum, well, anyway, sorry it took so long to update yet again, but this has got to be the longest chapter of this story and it took me a while to sort everything out, but, here you go, enjoy :P  
  
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Jason's sudden advace had caught me off guard and I stood there frozen, rooted to the spot as I watched the two of them duke it out.  
  
"You...stupid...selfish...son...of...a..." Jason snarled at Jamie, emphasizing each word with a hefty punch to his jaw. Jamie was lying on the floor where Jason had pushed him, pinned there by the bleach-blonde punk himself who was sitting on his chest, his knees restraining his arms, his fists flailing. "You...have...some...nerve...!"  
  
"Stop! Stop!" Jamie finally managed to wriggle his arms free from under Jason and catch both his wrists in his strong grip. Though it was taking all his strength and concentration to hang on to him, and though his knuckles were still swinging dangerously close to his nose, Jamie suceeded in preventing them from coming in contact with his face long enough to speak. "Will you calm down and tell me what I did to Bobbi?!"  
  
Jason paused for a moment, glaring at him malevolently. "Don't play dumb!"  
  
"But I thought she's the one that dumped Jamie almost two years ago," I interrupted.  
  
Jason snorted. "He told you that?"  
  
"No, no, it's true...she...ditched me...two summers back at a motocross track...for the guy that worked at the consession stand, of all people. I haven't seen her since," Jame stammered, his voice sort of naisilly because of the steady trickle of blood dripping from it.  
  
"That's not true and you know it," Jason smiled victoriously. Jamie's mouth opened and closed several times, but nothing came out. "What? No comebacks?" Jason said in mock surprise.  
  
Jamie gave up searching for words and avoided both his tormentor's and my gaze. Confusion creased my forehead. Jamie was acting like the cat who was caught with its paw in the bird cage, but how could this be? Bobbi had told me herself she had grown bored with him, as did he...had he lied to me? I couldn't help the tiny feeling of offense that began growing in the pit of my stomach. Jamie had never kept anything from me before...But my attention was quickly diverted by something lying on the floor. About three feet away from the two guys was Jason's kitchen knife, the wooden handle was pointing towards me, the light from the table lamp glinting off its serrated blade.  
  
"Isn't it true that a little less than a year after this said break up happened you and Bobbi met again at the same track, found you still had feelings for eachother and decided to give it a second go?" Jason asked innocently, completely oblivious to the weapon he had left so carelessly unguarded.  
  
"...Well, yeah...my mistake," Jamie muttered.  
  
I felt a pang of anger at his confession, but I pressed myself to ignore it. I couldn't be concerned with the affairs of my best friend at the moment, getting to the knife before Jason realized his blunder was much more important. Slowly but surely I began inching my way towards the forgotten cutlery. Jason was too preoccupied still trying to twist out of Jamie's grasp to notice what I was up to.  
  
"And when Bobbi's parents found out about your criminal record, they weren't too thrilled about you seeing their daughter, were they? They asked her to dump you and find a more law-abiding boyfriend, right?" Jason went on like a lawyer.  
  
I sunk down to the floor to make myself less conspicuous as I crawled along on my hands and knees toward the knife. I was almost there, almost within armslength...  
  
"But you INSISTED you keep seeing eachother SECRETLY! AGAINST HER WILL! You selfish, stupid-!"  
  
"No, no! That's a lie!" Jamie protested.  
  
"Oh, is it?"  
  
I tried to ignore Jamie's moan as Jason wrenched himself free and slugged him hard in the stomach. I needed to concentrate on getting that weapon...I lunged for it, but as soon as my fingers closed around the smooth handle, Jason lept off Jamie and onto me, shoving me down on my side, pinning my right arm underneath me and leaving my left one hopelessly vulnerable. I couldn't help but cry in dismay as I felt him painfully bend my wrist back, forcing me to drop the knife. He then twisted my once free arm back behind me, pressing it into the small of my back with his knee as he held the knife to my throat, the serrated edge barely grazing my skin.  
  
"Thought I couldn't see what you were up to, bitch?" Jason cackled insanely.  
  
Jamie groaned as he slowly rose to his feet, still clutching his stomach, a look of pain still registered on his face. "Stop it, Jason," he spoke in a strained voice. "Let her go. You said you would take this out with me. Leave her out of it-"  
  
"But ho ho, isn't this the best way to get to you? I know how you feel about her."  
  
Jamie faltered for a moment, and Jason grinned wickedly, knowing he'd struck a nerve.  
  
"Yes, that's right, I was there in science when you were lamenting to your little gothic-punk poser friends about your crush on poor innocent Caitie and oh, woe is you, you would never be able to tell her..." Jamie started forward but Jason waggled a finger at him. "Ah ah ah, I wouldn't come any closer if I were you. Wouldn't want to be the cause of a 'preventable accident,' now would we? That's better. Let's see...I also remember a while back when you were hanging out at that Menold kid's locker after school, whining 'Oh, I'll never be able to ask Caitie to homecoming, she'll never go, she thinks it's too preppy, blah blah blah, life's so unfair,'" Jason taunted. I felt my cheeks begin to flush, as did Jamie's. It was taking all his willpower to stand his ground. Jason chuckled. "And let's not forget that time under the bleachers during the first season's football game-"  
  
Jamie snapped. Quick as a flash he pounced on Jason, his fingers wrapping around the golden chain which linked his piercing to his spiked dog collar, and, of course, pulling.  
  
Jason let out a bloodcurling scream as the earring ripped through his earlobe and immediately let go of both the knife and me as he grabbed at his ear, blood oozing out from between his fingers, staining his green T- shirt.  
  
Taking advantage of the opportunity, I snagged the dropped weapon, squirmed out from underneath my terrorist, and joined Jamie on the other side of the room.  
  
Jason jumped to his feet, still holding his ear and shaking with rage. "Oh...you shouldn't have done that, James," he glared at him. "Oh, no sir, that was a BIG mistake..." He started towards us, one small step at a time. I shrunk back a little but Jamie stood firm.  
  
"Give me the knife," he quickly instructed. I blinked, the meaning of his words not sinking in at first. "It'll be ok, just give it to me." I looked down at it a moment, then nodded and handed it to him. "Leave," he spoke to Jason. "You've done enought damage here."  
  
"Oh, I haven't even BEGUN my revenge," Jason laughed bitterly. He was now only about six feet away from us, and closing the distance fast. I backed up as far as I could until the end table hampered my progress.  
  
Jamie took one menacing step forward, brandishing the seven inch blade. "I'm warning you-"  
  
"And I'm warning you! Bobbi will NOT go unavenged!" And with that, he charged. He darted forward four steps, ducked Jamie's swing, feigned an uppercut, and as Jamie raised his hands to protect his face, he went for his exposed torso. With lightning agility he tackled Jamie, headbutting him right into the table. I jumped out of the way as the terricotta lamp shattered on the floor, the bulb flickering out on impact. I cringed as Jamie flipped over the table top, landing on the other side. Though he missed the broken pottery pieces, he did smack his head pretty hard against the lenolium floor of the kitchen.  
  
"Bastard!" Jason snarled maliciously, breathing heavilly. "Trying to get Bobbi pregnant."  
  
I looked at him incredulusly. Was what he saying really true? No, I firmly told myself. Jason was making it up. He was insane. He was not to be trusted.  
  
"Well," Jason nodded. "Bobbi's revenge is almost complete." He looked me over and I felt a growing sense of anxiety inflating inside me. "Just one thing left to do..." And with that, he grabbed me by the shoulders and planted a deep kiss on my surprised lips. I tried to back away, but his grip was painfully strong. I could feel his eyes roaming hungrilly over my body and I screamed.  
  
"Jamie! Jamie, please! Help!" But Jamie's body remained limp and lifeless where he had fallen. "Jamie!" Still nothing.  
  
"Oh, Jamie's out of the picture for now," Jason waved dismissively. "It's just you, me, and a score to settle..." He grinned triumphantly and once again covered my mouth with his. Struggling violently, I tried to follow Jamie's suit and reached for his nose or eyebrow ring, but he easilly blocked my hand. "No, no, no, look but don't touch," he repremanded, slipping one arm around my waist and the other behind my knees. I kicked out forcefully as he lifted me up, but he evaded my thrashing legs as he carried me over to the couch.  
  
"No, no...please don't..." I wailed.  
  
"Hey." He threw me down on the sofa. "If I recall correctly, just a few moments ago you were sitting there crying your eyes out, 'Oh, Jason, rape me, do whatever you want to me, just don't kill me...'" He smirked. "Well, I've decided to take you up on your offer." I watched his every move fearfully, but he only sighed exasperatedly. "You know, if you'd only relax and try to enjoy yourself, you might actually have fun." He winked before descending on me once again.  
  
I screamed "Jamie!" as many times as I could before his lips met mine. His tongue, which twisted and squirmed around like a serpent in the far reaches of my throat, seemed to be trying to inspect my tonsils, while his hands seemed eager to explore every other part of my body. Tiring of my mouth, his moved down to my neck, and as soon as I could inhale enough air to speak, I resumed my yelling. "Jamie! JAMIE!"  
  
"Your...efforts...are futile," Jason said between kisses. "Go...ahead...scream...your...head off...there's...no one...here to...hear you."  
  
"Ja-MIE!" I gasped sharply when I felt his hand on my bare stomach, slowly creeping its way underneath the waistband of my jeans. "Jamie!" I cried for the umpteenth time. I scratched and clawed at the offending arm, but though skin flaked and peeled off, getting lodged under my finger nails, Jason didn't pay any attention to it. His fingers were getting dangerously close...but then...Jason and I both looked up in disbelief. A barely audiable but still distinct moaning was coming from the end table. Jamie was coming to! "Jamie! Jamie!" I yelled with renewed fervor. Jason understood his predicament and increased the speed of his movements. "Jamie! Jamie, please wake up!" I kept repeating, realizing my time was rapidly running out. "Jamie!"  
  
"Unh...C...Caitie?" He groaned, stirring slightly.  
  
Yes! Get up! Get up! "Jamie!" Jason's fingers discovered the waistband of my underwear. "Jamie, PLEASE!"  
  
"Hmm? Caitie?" The table creaked as he said up on it, rubbing the back of his head. "What is it?"  
  
Oh, God, he was still groggy! Get up! Get up!  
  
He rubbed at his eyes a few times, then looked around. "Caitie!" he blinked in surprise, jumping to his feet. "Jason, what the hell are you doing?!"  
  
Like a dog that had just been swatted with a rolled up newspaper, the pierced punk rolled off me and stood panting heavilly, glaring reprovingly at Jamie. "Why should I stop? You tried to knock Bobbi up, why can't I do the same to this little bitch?"  
  
"No!" Jamie covered his ears with his hands. "Stop saying that! It's not true!"  
  
"I think what YOU'RE saying isn't true...but no matter," he shrugged nonchalently, shoving my legs off the couch, forcing me to sit up straight, and taking a seat next to me. With one hand painfully squeezing my wrist to prevent any chance of an excape, he laid his other arm around my shoulders and looked smugly up at Jamie. "So, how many times did you and Bobbi do it? I promise I won't screw Caitie a single time more than you forced 'the Bullet' to..." he smiled raunchilly and turned toward me. "...Unless you want me to..." He winked and began toying with the ends of my hair, twirling it around his fingers.  
  
"Get away from me," I curled my lip in disgust. I tried to get up, but Jason forced me back down.  
  
Jamie, meanwhile, was nearly hopping with rage. "That's a lie! It's all a lie!" He kept shaking his head. "Please! None of it's true! Let her go! I...I...Where are you getting this anyway?"  
  
"Bobbi told me," he cocked his head indifferently.  
  
"Bobbi? Bobbi?" Jamie laughed like it was a joke. "And you listened to her? Ha ha! That was your first mistake!" He chuckled to himself. "You actually listened to her...no wonder all these stories are backward and twisted..."  
  
"Are you calling her a lier?!" Jason interrupted sharply.  
  
"What does it sound like I'm calling her?" he snorted. "About ninety-five percent of everything that comes out of that girl's mouth is complete exageration. Expecially when she's mad at someone. Then she'll go out and tell every random person she meets some slanderous, off the wall lie-"  
  
"Bobbi's NOT a lier!" Jason roared suddenly, leaping off the couch. His whole body was trembling slightly with anger, his eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
"Do you really believe that?" Jamie cocked an eyebrow at him. "Man, she's got you wrapped around her little finger-"  
  
"No!" Jason shouted. "You're the lier! You're just trying to save what's left of your pathetic reputation so you don't look like a jackass in front of HER!" he jabbed his thumb in my direction.  
  
"No," Jamie spoke calmly, shaking his head in what seemed like admiration. "I don't know how she does it...but she's really got you fooled."  
  
"NO SHE DOESN'T!"  
  
"Look, man, I dated her for almost six months, ten altogether if you count our...er...little secret...relationship...but the point is that...well, I really think I have a slightly better idea what she's about than you do..."  
  
Stupid Jamie! I mentally yelled at him. He knew better than to insult Jason when he had me pinned to the couch! Jason would explode!  
  
"NOBODY KNOWS MY BABY SISTER BETTER THAN I DO!"  
  
Jamie stood there speechless, his eyes wide with shock. "Baby...baby sister? ...Rendleman! Of course! Why didn't I see it before?"  
  
Jason looked at him as though he was insane. "Oh my God, you JUST realized that now? You're kidding, right? Wow, you're a real quick one, Waite."  
  
"No wonder I was so suspicious of you! You both belong in the loony bin!"  
  
"Me?! I'm not the one that thinks getting someone pregnant will force their parents to accept you!"  
  
"See, that's where she has you all screwed up. SHE'S the one who insisted whe go back out again, SHE'S the one who insisted we keep our relationship a secret so her family wouldn't find out, and SHE'S the one who insisted we should have a kid to show her mom how serious we were. I never touched her of course, I always refused, but she would constantly bring it up and bug me about it till it drove me up a wall. In fact, just a few hours ago I finally broke up with her over the phone-"  
  
"My baby sister would not contemplate suicide over an idea SHE came up with!"  
  
Jamie hesitated for a moment. "She...she tried to kill herself?" He looked skeptical.  
  
"She told me she was thinking about it," Jason said, starting to calm down a little bit. "About a week ago she spilled to me about your little hushed fling thing, and the next few days she spent lamenting to me about how she was afraid you were going to break up with her. Then yesterday...er, well," he glanced down at his watch. "Two days ago now, I guess, as it's past midnight, I walked in on her crying in her room. I asked what was wrong and she said she wanted to die. I asked her why and she said because she didn't know what to do, so I sat down with her and asked her to tell me the whole story, and she went on about how you were getting sick of ducking around in secret and how you came up with this wacked idea that maybe if Bobbi got pregnant our parents would finally give in and allow you to see eachother freely. She said that when she expressed her uncertainty about it, you got pissed and threatened that if she didn't agree with your terms you'd ditch her, and that's when she ran home and locked herself in her bedroom."  
  
Jamie only shook his head. "I'm sorry, man, but it's the exact opposite. She's the one that came up with that outlandish plan. I told her it was wrong, unfair to the two of us, both our parents, and the kid. Then she blew up on me. Said that if I really loved her I would do it, but I never did because it just didn't seem...right." He shrugged apologetically. "That's the truth."  
  
Jason seemed unwilling to believe it. "I'm so sure," he crossed his arms over his chest, he and Jamie resuming their exchange of hate-filled looks.  
  
I was no longer in his circulation-stopping clutch. I was free! Now was my chance! I made a run towards Jamie, but Jason wasn't too keen on releasing his ransom just yet. "Oh no you don't." He jumped after me, wrapping his arms around my middle and dragging us both to the floor. I would not be held back again. Oh, no, not this time, not after all I've already been forced to endure. As soon as I could get my bearings, I twisted and squirmed like a worm, trying to wriggle out of the range of his contracting fingers. Like an alligator or some other low-to-the-ground four-legged animal, I crawled across the floor on my stomach, just trying to escape. But Jason retaliated. Before I could get very far, I felt his vice-like grip close around my ankle, trying to pull me back towards him. No! I rolled over onto my back, hoping to twist his hand along with me and break his grip. No such luck. I tried to kick him in the face, but he was barely close enough for my stocking feet to even tap him.  
  
"Jamie, help!" I screamed as Jason suceeded in grabbing my right leg as well, but Jamie was already on it.  
  
He raced back to the wooden end table where he had been knocked out and grabbed the knife he had dropped. Rushing back to my aid, he grabbed a handful of Jason's long bleach-blonde spiked hair and pulled him violently off me. I scrambled to my feet as Jamie began kicking him fiercely until Jason flopped over with his back in the air to protect his, what must already be black and blue, stomach. At that point, Jamie lept on top of him, yanked his head back by another fistful of hair, and pressed the knife to his thraot. "Leave!" he hissed. "Get out of this house. I told you what really happened, now the only person you have a right to be mad at is your sister. Now get out or I'll give you several more piercings."  
  
"I...I'm going to call the police." I started for the phone, the simple rational idea only just coming to me.  
  
"Good idea," Jamie nodded. "Even better. Juvenile Hall for you, oh yes-"  
  
"Wait! No, please, wait..." Jason called out, defeted. "Don't bring the cops into this...James, just let me up and I'll get out of here, I swear, please..."  
  
"And how do we know you're not just feeding us a load of bull crap?" Jamie spat.  
  
Jason only snorted bitterly. "C'mon, James. What can I do against you? You've got my weapon."  
  
I gripped the cordless phone reciever tightly out of nervousness as Jamie sat there silent for a while, sizing up the situation. "All right, but if hide or hair of you is still visible by the time I count to ten, Caitie's dialing nine-one-one."  
  
"Ok," Jason nodded his agreement, nearly catching his neck on the cutlery blade that was still positioned under his chin.  
  
"Ok," Jamie repeated, and, with the knife brandished cautiously in front of him, he slowly rose off Jason and backed away till he was standing just a short distance in front of me.  
  
Stiffly, Jason got up, holding one arm around his sore stomach and favouring a nasty dark bruise above his left eyebrow. He took one last look at the two of us, though his soldier-blue eyes weren't as filled with the hatred and malice they had once been, and he turned and left through the broken window of the sliding glass door.  
  
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A/N: All three of my muses, it seems, were on vacation when I was trying to write this. The result? This chapter was forced and rather flat. Probably one of the worst ones I've written yet. Sorry about that ^^; And also, I don't remember the show ever mentioning Bobbi's last name, so I made it Rendleman...if that's not it, oops, my bad. Anyway, this story is just about complete, I'll just write one more chapter to tie up loose ends, and voila, it'll be the first fic I've sucessfully completed :P Then I can post its sequel. But even tho this chapter was poor, that doesn't mean you have the right to stop reviewing ;) Please R/R everyone, I'd like to break 60 reviews ^_^ And also please tell me which pen name, Doppleganger or Doppleherz, you think sounds better. Thanks a bunch ^_^ 


	10. All This Time

A/N: Ha ha ha ha ha ^_^ I made my deadline :) Tomorrow we're going to leave for a three week vacation and I wanted to post the last chapter before we left and I only just finished it. ^^; Close call, but I made it ^_^ And yes, I've changed my pen name yet again to Grinning Purple Cheshire Cat :P Pen names are hard to choose. But maybe if I chose one that had to do with one of my muses they would be a bit more cooperative with me ^^;; hense the current one. Oh, and MM informed me that Bobbi's last name was mentioned as Summers? Ah well, it's been two years, you gotta cut me some slack ^^; Anyway, here's the last chapter which is also where the story gets its namesake...  
  
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Jamie and I stood in silence for a while, staring at the empty door frame through which Jason had disappeared until a distant rumble of thunder broke the unnerving stillness. "So," Jamie turned around to face me. "You...you ok?"  
  
"Oh, yeah," I nodded. "Thanks."  
  
"Yup..." Another long pause. "I think he's gone for good this time..."  
  
"Yeah...good..." Even more silence. We both had the same thing on our minds, though neither of us really knew how to bring it up. Did Jamie really feel that way about me?  
  
We both spoke at the same time.  
  
"Look-"  
  
"I-"  
  
"What?" he asked, giving me the opportunity to go first while he stared intently at a spot on the floor, cringing slightly as if he was expecting a slap in the face.  
  
"I, well..." I blushed and brushed a stray strand of my dark hair behind my ear, not quite sure how to begin. "Er...was what Jason said really true? About you-"  
  
"Yes," he interrupted me, looking genuinely ashamed. "And I'm really, really sorry..."  
  
"Sorry?" My forehead creased in confusion. "Why?"  
  
"I really did want to tell you, honestly!" he went on, ignoring my last comment. "It's just that, well, Bobbi swore me to secrecy..."  
  
Well, that wasn't what I was referring to, but since he brought it up...  
  
"But really, I swear, I didn't do anything with her! Not once." He glanced at me worridly, as if he expected me to suddenly blow up at him. He looked like such a loose bundle of nerve ends that I smiled in spite of myself.  
  
"And why didn't you? Isn't that what all guys want?" I teased.  
  
"Well," he flashed a wry smile back at me, shaking his head. "It's just not right. Not unless you're really truly in love with eachother." A wave of crimson was creeping its way over his cheeks.  
  
"Ah...and...you didn't love her?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh." I could feel my face burning as well. Another long interval of silence prevailed while Jamie twiddled his fingers anxiously and I ran my tongue over my suddenly dry lips. Finally, I took a deep breath. "So, the phone call I walked in on earlier, that was Bobbi?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And that's when you broke up with her?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And the text message, that was from her also?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And the plan she was talking about, that was the one Jason was so ticked about?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And she really was the one who thought of it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And can you say anything other than 'yeah'?" I joked.  
  
He cocked his head thoughtfully for a moment, then winked and smiled his comfortingly familiar lop-sided grin, nodding. "Yeah."  
  
We both laughed a little, locked gazes for an instant, then quickly looked away. "Then what didn't you know?" I asked, vaguely recalling where Jamie had cut their conversation short.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"On your cell phone. With Bobbi. When I interrupted you. You kept saying you didn't know..."  
  
"Oh!" If it was possible he turned an even deeper shade of red. "Oh, that..." He took a seat on the foot rest behind him. His hands, desparate for something to do, had fished the cell, which was undamaged miraculously, out of his pocket and were now flipping the top up and down repeatedly. "Well, see...it's kind of a long story..." he looked up at me expectantly. Half of him looked like he really wanted to tell me, while the other half seemed to be silently pleading with me to say "Ok, you can explain it later."  
  
My curiosity won out in the end and I guestured blandly around the disheveled room. "Got time."  
  
"Um, ok...see, Bobbi was so adimate about," he snorted bitterly, "putting this plan into action...No matter how many times I kept saying no, she kept hounding me about it, claiming it was 'the next step in our relationship.'" He shook his head disgustedly. "The longer this went on, the more forceful she got. It reached the point where we could no longer talk to eachother without fighting about it. She some how got it in her mind to harass me untill I finally broke. She kept calling me, and calling me, and every time I got fed up and hung up on on her, it just couldn't make it through her head to stop. She made sure my phone was always busy; nobody could get a hold of me. Do you know how many calls from the squad I missed because of her?!"  
  
He paused long enough for me to say "God," then continued.  
  
"Well, I figured the only way I could get her to quit would be to say yes...so...fice seconds later, when she called again, I told her ok. But just because I told her I would didn't mean I was actually planning to," he quickly added. "No, she told me to meet up at her place later on, and that's when I decided I would just show up, tell her it was over, and leave. If she resumed her constant harassment, I would just get a new cell phone with a different number. Well, on my way there," he inclined his head in my direction, "I heard your...cry for help, came to your rescue, beat the crap out of Jason, and drove you home. Then, while you were changing, she called me asking me why I was late. I told her one of my friends had an emergency and really needed my help. Oh, she got SO pissed when I mentioned you were a girl. She accused me of cheating on her, and I told her I wasn't, though I was planning on breaking up with her anyway...and that's when...well..." He figited slightly in his seat, still avoiding my gaze. "She asked me if I loved you."  
  
My tongue froze as my heart skipped a beat.  
  
"And that's what I wasn't sure about."  
  
My mouth opened, but no words came out. I tried vainly to will my vocal cords to work, but they refused to obey me.  
  
"But......I do know now."  
  
"Oh?" I managed to squeak, my voice unusually hoarse.  
  
"And...I do..." he said softly.  
  
Every single drop of blood in my body rushed to my face. Once again, I was at a loss for words and was only able to mutter "really?" in an uncharacteristically high-pitched whisper I couldn't believe was my own.  
  
He stopped fiddling with his cell phone and boldly met my gaze, wordlessly giving me the answer.  
  
"Oh...my God, I...I...me? Are you serious? So...what Jason said about you...liking me, that was true?"  
  
"Uh, yeah..." He resumed staring at the spot on the floor, running his fingers through his spickey brown hair embarassedly.  
  
"I wasn't sure weither to belive him or not....you...you reeally wanted to take me to Homecoming?"  
  
"Well, yeah," he nodded. "I just didn't know how to ask you. I mean, every time I scraped up enough nerve to, you'd start complaining about how tired you were of hearing people talk about 'that stupid dance,' and how it was just a geek-fest for jocks and jocketts...Asking you to come just to make fun of everyone was the only way I could think of." He smiled sheepishly. "Though if I would have known you'd make me dress up as a girl I'd have tried to think of a different way."  
  
I giggled, so very VERY unlike me. "Aw, but you looked so cute in Val's little cheerleading outfit. Of course you should have at least had the deciency to shave your legs before you came." He grinned broadly and I relaxed a little. Yes, lighten the mood, that's what I had to do, to show Jamie what he said wouldn't kill our friendship at all, to find a comfortable way to tell him that I indeeed felt....the same. I put on my best pouty face. " I do admit I got kinda jelous when you were dancing with Tyler."  
  
He laughed, such a wonderful sound. Then more silence. The lightened mood I had tried to create was waining. "Well...what do you think...about what I said?" Jamie asked timidly, brutally murdering what was left of the mood.  
  
I could feel my face burning like the sun as I sat down on the armrest of the recliner across from him. "Well...you mean all this time you've actually liked...*me?* As more than a friend?" He shifted uncomfortably, suddenly enthrolled by a skuff on his black sneakers. "Well, I really...I really don't know what to say....I really do feel the same..." he looked up in disbelief and I forced a smile, even though it seemed my heart had jumped up to my throat and had suddenly swelled up and was now almost painfully choking me. "I mean, I always knew that subconsiously I did like you a...a lot...but I just refused to admit it to myself." I chewed on my lip thoughtfully. "I didn't want to fall for my best friend...I didn't want it to affect our friendship at all..."  
  
He noticably relaxed as relief flooded his features. "I completely understand. I thought the same thing at first, but I just couldn't ignore the way I felt, or pretend I didn't care. Caitie, the day Bobbi asked me if I wanted to give it a second try, I just felt...like it was wrong. I realized that all the things I ever did with her I would have enjoyed more with you. It got to the point where I would have rather been hanging with you than her, and I found myself actually wishing she *was* you, and...that's when I knew...I had fallen in love with you."  
  
"I..." I stamered. He looked at me with his dark doleful eyes, so full of hope and sencerity, and I felt tears welling up in my own. He smiled fondly at me and I struggled desparately to keep any tear from finding its way out. It was a losing battle. Why on earth was I getting so emotional? I definately wasn't a femme, that was for sure, and it was just *Jamie*...but I just couldn't help myself. A single tear leaked out from the corner of my right eye and slid down the rosey flesh of my flushed cheeks. I quickly made a move to brush it away while Jamie politely looked away, trying to save my pride from the added stress of embarassment. My mouth gave up trying to form words. I didn't dare speak for fear of how wavery my voice would sound. I only sat back and sniffled softly to myself.  
  
Jamie kept throwing me havering glances, obviously unsure of what to do. I only smiled back warmly, my eyes still sparkling with tears but at least no others were soaking my skin. "So, uh..." he resumed the nervous tinkering with his mobile phone. "Wow, I would have never imagined that I'd be telling you this under situations like these...or that you'd say the same thing..."  
  
"Me too," I agreed.  
  
Pause.  
  
"Caitie?"  
  
"Yeah?" I answered, my heart rate beginning to speed up.  
  
"Jason was one lucky bastard to have been able to go out on a date with you."  
  
"I..." I blushed to the roots of my dark brown hair.  
  
"I would do anything for the same chance..."  
  
I smiled impishly. "Are you asking me to go out with you?"  
  
"Well, that depends," he said, looking quite serious.  
  
A bemused frown creased my features. "On what?"  
  
"On if you really were jelous about me and Tyler dancing." He could hold back no longer and the corners of his mouth twisted up in a heartbreaking grin.  
  
Mine soon followed suit and I found myself leaning forward and wrapping my arms around his neck. "God, Jamie," I laughed. "We've been friends since the first grade. Best friends. All this time you've cared about me, and all this time I've tried to ignore the fact that I cared about you, too." He hugged me back just as tightly. "All this time the perfect boyfriend has been sitting right under my nose for the longest time and it takes a near rape for me to realize it."  
  
He chuckled, pulling away. "Far from perfect."  
  
I only shook my head. "Not to me."  
  
His face beet red, Jamie went back to staring at the floor.  
  
I sighed and stood up. "Look at this place. My parents are going to be *pissed* when they come home. A broken window, and a broken lamp..."  
  
"Well, gee, it's not like it's your fault. You were assulted. You have an excuse. They'll understand," he tried to comfort me.  
  
I nodded, though I seriously doubted that. The curtain kept billowing out every so often as a stray gust of wind located it.  
  
"Well, reguardless," Jamie said, standing too. "Just to be on the safe side, you should stay at someone's house. Should I call Val now?"  
  
"It's two o'clock, do you really think she's still awake?"  
  
"So? We'll wake her up. I wonder what she's liek when her precious beauty sleep is interrupted...Let's see if she really is preppy and happy-go-lucky twenty-four-seven, shall we?" He began dialing her number.  
  
"Well, no, wait," I interrupted. "...There's no way we could ring Val only, not without everybody in the house waking up. I really don't want to bother her family or trouble them with my presence right now...Nor do I want to have to explain to everyone what happened..."  
  
"Honey, it's nothing to be ashamed of."  
  
"I know, but...I just don't want them to worry about me. And besides, Val would definately make me tell the police. We promised Jason no cops. Who knows what he'd do if he found out we told." I sighed again. "I'm perfectly Ok, I just want to forget that this whole night ever happened."  
  
"Um...even...even this...?"  
  
And before I knew what was happening, he was kissing me and I was kissing him back.  
  
After an all to quick three seconds he inhaled sharply and immediately backed away. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Caitie..."  
  
"Sorry?"  
  
"Yes, here you've just come an inch from being raped and I come out of nowhere and start kissing you...it was wrong and stupid and I'm sorry..."  
  
"No, no," I quickly objected. "I...I liked it...It's fine, you're my boyfriend now..." I blushed with pleasure. Boyfriend. I liked that. I noticed I was staring and looked away. "But no, really, it's fine. I'm Ok. I'll be alright here."  
  
"No," Jamie's eyes fell upon the sharp kitchen knife which still laid where he had left it on the wooden coffee table. "Jason said he'd leave and never come back, but I don't know how trustworthy he is. If you don't want to stay at Val's, you're always welcome to come to my place. Who knows where my mom is, but we'll have the place to ourselves."  
  
I eyed him coyly. "You want *me* to sleep over at your house with nobody else there but you?"  
  
He put on an expression of mock surpries. "Caitie! I'm hurt! How could you accuse me of thinking like that? I would never! *I'm* a gentleman."  
  
He looked so comical that I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, yes, I'm sure. Fine then, come on, let's go."  
  
He walked me to the door, picking up the coat I had left hanging on the closest door knob and helping me into it. "So...you're my girlfriend now?" he asked as I slipped into a pair of tennis shoes.  
  
I smiled broadly. "Yeah," I nodded. "Yeah."  
  
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* *~ The End~* * A/N: Wow. This chapter BIT. But hey, it's the conclusion, so what do you care, eh? This is the first fanfic I've ever successfully completed and posted on fanfiction.net ^__^ As I've said before, it's a prequil to another fic I wrote a while back entitled "Reasons To Leave." I'm gonna take a short short short break from IAHB fics (I'm gonna write a Harry Potter one to clear my head) and then I'll get around to posting the sequel ^-^ And maybe I should have another fic that sort of branches off from this, like maybe what Jason did to Bobbi when he returned home, or something like that. What do you think? Thanks to all my reviewers, please R/R this fic for the last time (Please so I can break 60) (.:wipes away a tear:. endings are so sad...) and thank you so much to the following people (in no particular order):  
  
* Montana Magic, madnuninblue, Winter*rose, Escaflowne, Mystick, Sarah, Luvcarter, Dancin Fool, Prettypandas26, skimmboardergurl, QuEeN oF tHe UnIvErSe, Rainshower, Pixie Hardy, Angel Baby (Even though she flamed me and swore she wouldn't read the rest, I know she has been and just hasn't been reviewing ;)), Jd, anyone else I might have missed, everyone who has read this story and just hasn't reviewed (I know there are many), and a big special thanks to everyone who put me on their favourite stories/author list ^_____^ You guys are the best and I love you all ^-^ .:bows and curtains close:. Thank you and good night! 


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